


Galar: Uprising

by gauge_transform



Series: Pokemon: King's Shield and Sacred Sword [6]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood and Violence, CheeryFairyShipping, Drama, Established Relationship, F/F, Friendship, Heavy Swearing, M/M, Post-Canon, Romance, Shit goes down, alcohol use, aquaheartshipping, expect the unexpected, gothgfshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:07:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 69,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24565102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gauge_transform/pseuds/gauge_transform
Summary: Six years after saving Galar from the Darkest Day, Gloria has been working hard to end the practice of Dynamaxing across the region with the help of her friends. To make up for the loss in Dynamax Energy, Hop and Sonia have been developing new forms of Pokemon-friendly renewable energy. Despite their efforts, the Champion's relationship with angry citizens strains to the point of threats to her life. Added to this are rising tensions between Gloria and Marnie in their attempt to take their relationship to a new level.As Gloria struggles to find balance within the region and her life, an unknown foe lurks in the shadows.Sequel to Pokemon: King's Shield and Sacred Sword. No explicit scenes, but has dark and mature themes. May add more tags later. See work for further notes.
Relationships: Beet | Bede & Hop, Beet | Bede/Hop, Mary | Marnie & Yuuri | Gloria, Mary | Marnie/Yuuri | Gloria, Rurina | Nessa & Sonia, Rurina | Nessa/Sonia
Series: Pokemon: King's Shield and Sacred Sword [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745332
Comments: 67
Kudos: 80





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, folks, time for that sequel I promised y'all...
> 
> This will be a continuation to my other fic, [Pokemon: King's Shield and Sacred Sword](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23957887/chapters/57621217) so if you haven't read that, please do!
> 
> This will be updated twice a week on Saturdays and Wednesdays around 9AM EDT (I'm Canadian, apologies in advance to everyone on the other side). Though the story is indeed finished, I want to give myself some buffer time in case an important criticism is brought up. I love this more interactive way of publishing -- feels like we're writing a story together! :)
> 
> The Pokemon battles will not be as frequent in this fic as its prequel, unfortunately, but they will be just as intense! And the story will compensate plenty (I hope). There will be loads of action outside of the battles, too.
> 
> About the tags/archive warnings: I think content warnings are super important, especially those related to sensitive topics, so I will be providing those at the start of the relevant chapter rather than put them as part of the tags. This is mainly to avoid spoiling unsuspecting readers. There is quite a bit of violence and blood, but I do not believe it warrants the Graphic Violence tag since it does not get to the extremes that I've seen on some fics on this site.
> 
> If you want to discuss or chat with me about this fic (or anything, really) leave a comment or shoot me an email at gauge_transform@outlook.com
> 
> Huge thanks to Wheelie91 for helping bounce ideas on some scenes! Appreciate it :) And also a big thank you to requiemofdust, whose comments inspired more Nessa/Sonia scenes and just generally paying more attention to the small details. You're the best!
> 
> Thanks!! And enjoy 😊 I'm eager to read your theories and expectations on what is to come!

Gloria closed her eyes and leaned forward as the wind blew against her short hair. She buried her fingers in Zamazenta’s fur and asked him to go faster. The arms around her waist tightened and she laughed, patting them gently. The beast huffed and complied, pushing his paws against the ground and propelling them forward faster through the Wild Area. The entrance to Hammerlocke disappeared behind them quickly and they reached the clearing by Lake of Outrage within an hour. Zamazenta slowed to a stop near a large oak tree and bent his head to drink from the lake as his riders slid off him gracefully.

“Gloria.”

“What? Don’t tell me ya didn’t enjoy that…”

Marnie crossed her arms, trying not to smile. She said nothing and watched Gloria set up camp, bringing her back to memories from long ago. It had been six years since the Darkest Day, since Gloria and Hop had saved them all, and they had never been happier. Though things had changed a lot since then, one thing remained the same, at least: Marnie’s absolute adoration for the Champion of Galar.

The champion wore a pair of loose blue jeans, tan work boots and a gray tank top under a soft black and yellow plaid flannel that definitely belonged to the Spikemuth Gym Leader. She didn’t need her knee brace anymore, as her knee had gradually healed fully, though she still had to be careful. She had also ditched her beret, saying she preferred to run her fingers through her hair (which hadn’t changed a bit) when she thought, and her hat usually got in the way. Marnie had opted to change her hairstyle, keeping her hair down instead of up. She wore tight, ripped black jeans and a studded black leather jacket over a short pastel pink crop top. She added a few more piercings to her ears as well, with a bar through the top of one ear and a couple silver rings and studs in the other one. She kept her black choker, which Gloria was still infatuated with.

Marnie’s favourite outfit of Gloria’s was also tied to one of her favourite memories of her. They’d been visiting her Mum in Postwick when she shoved a traditional kilt and bagpipe set towards her daughter. Stella had been rummaging through Gloria’s things, missing her terribly, when she came across the outfit. The brunette’s eyes had lit up and she immediately went to task, marching up to Hop’s house (who had still been living there at the time) in her kilt and blasting a tune on her pipes. The resulting argument (Hop screaming out of his window in his Postwickish accent and vernacular, Gloria red-faced and playing louder) had nearly brought Marnie and Stella to their knees from laughter.

“Oi, you just gonna stand there?” The brunette’s voice snapped her from her thoughts and she moved to help her set up the pot for curry-making. Their hands brushed as they adjusted the pot over the firepit, and it made her smile as she recalled the first time this had happened.

“Berry for your thoughts?” She looked up to meet Gloria’s warm gaze and felt butterflies in her stomach. _Even after all this time, I still feel this way… which means my decision is definitely the right one._ She stepped back and put her hands in her jacket pockets, clutching a tiny box tightly.

“Jus’ rememberin’ tha’ firs’ night we camped out together.”

The champion sighed wistfully. “We were so young, and so dumb.”

“Speak for yourself.”

“Oi!” she giggled, coming around to embrace her. Her arms wound around her neck as she pulled herself up on her toes to plant a kiss. Marnie accepted it eagerly and returned the embrace around her waist. They pulled away to look into each other’s eyes, then turned when Zamazenta barked and came near them, nudging Gloria with his wet nose.

“Okay, okay! We’ll make lunch. Relax,” she giggled, placating her Pokemon with scratches. The two had bonded a lot since they first met and were practically inseparable. She moved over to the pot and the two trainers got to work to make the curry. They let their Pokemon out, who at this point were one huge family, and chatted idly over the food as they cooked.

“I really miss camping out and cooking like this,” the brunette sighed. Marnie lifted her ladle to taste test the curry, humming in approval. “We’re so busy nowadays, what with you being the strongest Gym Leader in Galar and me with Champion duties and my side project of eliminating Dynamaxing from Galarian culture…”

“’S a big job,” the raven-haired woman agreed, nodding as she tapped her ladle against the rim of the pot. Gloria took that as her cue to start serving their Pokemon while Marnie passed her the bowls. “Are ya still fightin’ with Gordie ‘bout it? It’s been years…”

The champion rolled her eyes. “Gordie decided now would be a good time to take after his Mum, but all the bad parts.”

“A shame.” Gloria hid a smile at the sarcasm in her girlfriend’s voice. “What about Raihan?”

“Raihan’s a wild card. Some days he loves me, some days he wants nothin’ to do with me. Leon’s still a good sport about it though, which is nice.” Gloria sighed heavily. “Why can’t they understand how important this is?”

“Maybe ‘cause of how ya went about convincin’ ‘em…” she mumbled, ignoring the glare she knew was directed at her. The brunette huffed and said nothing, finishing up by pouring a bowl for her and her lover.

“An’ Bea?” Marnie asked quietly, sneaking a peek at her lover’s face. Gloria tightened her grip around the bowl.

“Bea’s off in Kanto training with Bruno so I haven’t had a chance to see if she’s still pissed at me or not, though she has budged from ignoring me and is now okay with answering my texts.”

“Ya know she ‘ad a thing for ya…” She accepted her bowl and met slightly annoyed brown eyes.

“What does it matter? I’m with you, aren’t I?” she mumbled, pouring a bowl for herself.

Marnie sighed and dropped the topic. They sat against the tree and ate in silence, looking out over the lake. A Milotic peeked her head over the surface of the water to see what they were up to, then quickly ducked back down when she saw them. Marnie stood and collected their bowls to put away, Gloria helping with their Pokemon to serve them seconds. When they finished, they returned to the tree and held hands as they leaned against each other, Gloria resting her head on the taller woman’s shoulder.

The raven-haired woman exhaled slowly and tried to calm her racing heart, lest her lover notice her unusual nervousness. _I don’t like how we ended that conversation… let’s try to fix that._ She squeezed the hand in hers and passed a thumb over her knuckles, causing the brunette to lift her head and smile.

“What’s on your mind, sweetheart?” Her soft voice soothed her immediately, and she let out a tiny smile of her own.

Instead of answering, she cupped the champion’s cheek and leaned forward to kiss her, smiling wider when it was immediately reciprocated. When she pulled back, Gloria’s eyes had closed and a light blush dusted her cheeks. She blinked her eyes open, apparently speechless, and Marnie took that as her cue to move in.

“Gloria, we’ve known each other for ‘bout six years now, an’ we’ve basically been together for the same amount o’ time, a-an’ I really think that we’re ready—”

A phone shrilly interrupted her speech, and Gloria frowned and went to mute it, but stopped when Bede’s name flashed across the screen. She sighed and picked up, squeezing Marnie’s hand in apology. _Just like what happened in Circhester_ , the raven-haired women remembered sullenly.

“Hey, what’s up, Bede?”

_“Do you recall when you asked me to tell you when that Kalos trainer would be arriving?”_

Gloria raised an eyebrow. “Uh, yea, why?”

 _“Well, she has arrived. And she is quite irritating. Please come to the Wyndon stadium immediately.”_ He hung up without waiting for a reply and she sighed.

“Typical Bede,” she muttered. “I thought she wasn’t supposed to be here until the evening. Bugger.” She looked up at Marnie and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, meeting her turquoise eyes and frowning lightly. “Hey, what did you want to tell me?”

Marnie let go of her hand and stood up. “Nothin’. You should go.” She turned around and started collecting the empty bowls their Pokemon left behind.

Gloria stood up, now frowning heavily at her tone. “I don’t _want_ to go. I’d honestly rather stay here with you.” She blinked when silence answered her. “Are you seriously ignoring me right now?”

“Gloria, ‘m not in the mood righ’ now.”

The brunette threw her hands up. “In the mood for what, exactly? You’re pissed because I have to go do my bloody job?”

 _She’s not getting it,_ Marnie thought in irritation. _I’m not pissed she has to do her job, I’m pissed that it came between us right at this moment._ “Jus’ go,” she mumbled.

“What was that?”

“I said: jus’ go!” the Spikemuth Gym Leader bit out impatiently, back still turned. “Go do your _job_. _Clearly_ , that’s where ya wanna be righ’ now.” She heard Gloria call all her Pokemon back except one, then the sound of Corviknight beating her steel wings against the ground to take off. Regret immediately filled her and she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Damn, I really screwed tha’ up.” Morpeko came up on her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek in comfort. She scratched her behind her ears, her lips downturned.

“‘Peko, I’m clearly the dumb one in this relationship…” she sighed, looking up at the overcast sky.

Gloria sniffled and rubbed her wrist across her eyes as she tried to control her tears. _What is up with her? Why’d she just get angry like that? There has to be something else going on here…_ Her heart stopped. _Does she want to break up with me? She was talking about how we’ve been together for a long time… but that doesn’t make sense though, because she kissed me just before she started sayin’ all that stuff. What was up with that, anyway?_

The brunette sighed. “I should have calmed down a bit and tried to see what was wrong with her.” Corviknight crowed and she smiled, patting her head. “Corvi, I’m obviously the dumbass in this relationship.” Her Pokemon crowed again and she frowned. “You weren’t supposed to agree with me.” She pouted and returned her attention to the skyline, noting that it would be at least another hour before they reached Wyndon.

Her thoughts circled through different topics, such as the visitor from Kalos, Marnie, then eventually, the fight that tore the region’s Gym Leaders apart four years ago…

-x-

_Four years ago, Battle Tower board room…_

“Thanks everyone, for meeting me here today,” Gloria started. She took a seat at the head of a long, mahogany table and passed out a stack of documents with various charts and data arrays. To her left was Marnie, ever stoic, and to her right was Hop, who looked unusually solemn. He had started growing a beard, perhaps wanting to outdo Leon, and had cut his hair shorter. He had ditched his old coat and, since he wasn’t a full Professor yet, replaced it with a gray suit jacket. Under it, he wore a navy sweater over a white button-down shirt with tan khakis and leather shoes. To his right was Bede, who had kept his long purple coat, but preferred to keep it unbuttoned. Under it he wore a tight-fitting black t-shirt and a pair of white skinny jeans. He had swapped his old shoes for purple converse shoes and had also gained a diamond stud in his right ear, courtesy of his boyfriend.

The room was located on the highest floor of the Battle Tower, with tall glass windows overlooking the city. The windows stretched into the ceiling in a dome shape, with the natural sunlight providing the lighting (though it was perpetually overcast in Wyndon). The floor was tiled with a shiny indigo finish. All in all, it looked to be very expensive and modern, one of Rose’s remaining legacy projects.

The other Gym Leaders were seated around the table: Gordie, Kabu, Bea, Allister, Nessa, Milo and Raihan. Even Leon and Piers had shown up. Sonia had been invited to the meeting but she declined, saying Hop was more than capable of handling this. Melony had officially retired half a year ago and had moved to Snowpoint City in Sinnoh to enjoy a peaceful retirement in the cold. Gordie had taken over the gym and converted it to a Rock-type institution. When asked about his retirement, Kabu looked confused and even a little offended.

Leon looked up after flipping through his binder and frowned. “What’s this about, Gloria?”

The champion cleared her throat and Marnie put a hand on her thigh, squeezing in comfort. “There’s something important I have to talk to you about. It concerns not only the future of our gym challenges, but the future of Galar as a whole.”

“Can you get to the point, Champion?” Gordie peeked over his sunglasses, an eyebrow raised.

Gloria narrowed her eyes at him, then turned her eyes to her documents. “Okay, can everyone go to page six? You can read through the rest later. This is where the meat of the problem is.” She turned it around and pointed at a line graph with a solid part that shot up, then a striped part that dipped sharply down. “This is Galar’s energy output since Rose first started collecting data. The dashed line is Hop’s projection if we shut down all Dynamax energy research and production. We still have a fair bit of energy stored, but within the next six years, we will be in a really tough spot.”

“Okay, then don’t shut the energy plants down,” Raihan interjected, hand waving around. “Hammerlocke’s more than capable of powering this region.”

“But that’s just it: we’re shutting it all down.”

“What? Why? I thought we were still undergoing repairs.”

“No, Raihan, it’s getting shut down for good.” The brunette paused then exhaled out her nose. “And we’re banning Dynamaxing. Permanently.”

At this, an uproar erupted amongst the trainers. Only the youngest leaders, Bea, Allister, Marnie and Bede, as well as Kabu, stayed quiet.

“Gloria, what are you saying?” Nessa inquired worriedly when they all sat down at Leon’s request. “You know how important Dynamaxing is to everyone.”

“As much as I hate to be negative, I really think this is a bad idea, Champion,” Milo said, a frown marring his features. “Galarians are to Dynamaxing as Honey is to Combee!”

“You just told us our energy output is tied to Dynamax energy, and now you want to ban it? Are you purposefully sabotaging this region, Champion?” Gordie spat out, slamming his palms on the table.

Hop stood up and pointed at him. “Gordie, you better watch what you say. You _know_ Gloria is on our side.”

“And what are you gonna do about it, runner-up? Cry to your brother?”

“Watch it,” Bede seethed, glaring. “Or you’ll join your mum up in Snowpoint.”

“That’s enough!” Gloria yelled. “No one’s going anywhere, okay? Stop fighting and let me explain.” She sighed, sitting back down. “Let’s just start with the facts. Does everyone here know where Dynamax energy comes from? And where Wishing Stars come from? Raise your hand if you don’t… okay, good. So then, do we agree that it’s wrong to scavenge parts from living Pokemon to power our cities?”

“With all due respect, Gloria,” Leon interrupted, smiling slightly in reassurance. “I see where you’re coming from, but can we really call Eternatus a living Pokemon? To me, it just looks like a husk of evil, and nothing more… I mean, this was the same Pokemon that nearly wiped us out on the first Darkest Day.”

The brunette frowned. “Leon, you’re right in that Eternatus attacked us and that it did cause massive damage, but that was centuries ago, and it was actually in self-defence.” At people’s confused looks, she elaborated. “Eternatus told me.”

“And you believed it?” Raihan snickered. When she glared at him he sobered. “Sorry, Gloria, but you should know better than to trust a Dragon Pokemon hellbent on killing us and desperate to survive the process.”

“That’s if it even happened.” Gordie rolled his eyes behind his glasses. “Talking to Pokemon? Really?”

“I t-talk to Pokemon…” Everyone turned to Allister, who jumped and lowered his head slightly. “My G-Ghost types and I t-talk all the time… they tell me things.”

The blonde Rock-type Gym Leader opened his mouth, likely to unleash a nasty comment, but stopped when Bea glared at him, arms crossed and flexing. Piers sighed and leaned away from the wall, dropping the binder on the table.

“This is a huge pain in the ass. Everyone ‘ere is a competent trainer—none of ya _need_ Dynamaxin’ to be good. Ya jus’ think ya do. An’ if our Champ thinks we can survive without it, I trus’ her.” He smiled at Gloria, his eyes droopy from fatigue. “I’m headin’ out. Thanks for the invite, and if any of ya vote on anythin’, jus’ put my vote the same as Marnie. See ya.”

The champion smiled warmly back at him and waved as he left. “Any other comments or questions?” she asked, looking around. Kabu cleared his throat and raised his hand politely, and she nodded at him.

“Gloria, have you thought about a suitable replacement for Dynamax battles? Have you thought about how Galarians will react if you ban them? Also, what will you do about existing Power Spots? Even if you ban the practice, people will still have Wishing Stars that they can use without your permission or knowledge.”

Gloria looked at Hop, who nodded and stood up. “If everyone will turn to page twenty, please. There’s a chart there with ideas about how we can change the gym challenge, as well as different sources of energy we can use to power the region. I’ll leave the challenge explanations to Gloria, but I’ve been working on pulling different techniques from across the world to implement here, and so far I’m hopeful that we can get it all done before our time is up.” He nodded at his best friend, who thanked him and stood up when he sat down.

“As for the gym challenges, we put out a preliminary poll to see how Galarians would react, results are on page fifteen, and most of them would be sad to see them go but they trust us to come up with something better. This is without them even knowing why we’re banning them.”

“Wait,” Leon said, frowning, “this poll data looks a little sketchy to me. Ninety percent would be okay with it? Really? When I was Champion, there is no way this would fly. Who exactly did you ask?”

“Um…” Gloria reddened and scratched the back of her neck. “The… internet?” She looked at Hop, who shrugged. “Okay, we can just forget about the poll then, since that is apparently not reliable enough—”

Gordie laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. “Wow.”

“—anyway,” she continued, narrowing her eyes, “I spoke with some other Professors, mainly from Kalos and Alola, they say that Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves are pretty big there. But Z-Moves come from Z-crystals, which also originate from a Legendary Pokemon’s body parts, so that’s a no-no.”

“I have heard of Mega Evolutions,” Kabu said, rubbing his chin. “I do recall my granddaughter mentioning that they have started implementing them in the gym battles in Hoenn… but, still, it does not have the same impact as two giant Pokemon wrestling on the field.”

“We could also implement rotation battles and triple battles from Unova,” the champion suggested.

“It seems like you haven’t fully thought this through, Gloria,” Leon said, placing the binder on the table. “If you don’t have a suitable replacement for our gym battles, then there’s not much discussion to be had…”

“Hold on a minute,” Bede said, holding his hand up. “Why do we even need a replacement? People will come to these battles regardless. They have nothing else to do. We can sparkle in some Mega Evolution if you want, but in the end this is Galar, where battles thrive with or without Dynamaxing.”

The brunette grinned at him. “Well said, Bede.” She cleared her throat. “So, how about we decide this with a vote, yea? All in favour of banning Dynamaxing?” Hop, Marnie, Bede, Allister and Nessa raised their hands. “All against?” Raihan, Gordie, Leon and, surprisingly, Bea raised their hands. “Any abstentions?” Kabu and Milo raised their hands. “Whew… okay, I guess we should still have some discussion. I’d like more than half the Gym Leaders to be on board.”

“There’s no discussion to be had,” Gordie interrupted. “You can’t just keep talking to us until we agree.”

Gloria rolled her eyes. “I want to know why Kabu and Milo are abstaining.”

Milo fidgeted, smiling nervously. “I uh, well I don’t feel quite comfortable voting on this just yet. I need more time to think about it.”

The champion nodded. “Okay, understandable. Kabu?”

He steepled his hands, meeting her gaze. “What will you do with our Wishing Stars?”

Gloria sighed, drumming her fingers against the table. “Since Power Spots can’t just be removed, I will have to confiscate all Wishing Stars, and Dynamax Bands, then destroy them.” The table erupted in arguments again, mainly Raihan and Gordie, and she stood up to meet them with a glare. “You’re not above the average Galarian! If they have to lose their bands, then so do you!”

“Gloria, this is not right! Dynamaxing has been part of our culture for _centuries_ —”

“I will never give up my right to Dynamax my Pokemon to the likes of you—”

“ENOUGH!” The whole room quieted as a large shadow cast over them, pink light glowing ominously. Above, watching silently and judging quietly, was Eternatus. Its limbs twisted as it loomed over them, memorizing their faces.

“I ask you to repeat everything you just told me to the origins of Dynamaxing itself,” Gloria demanded, pointing up at her Pokemon. When no one answered, she scoffed. “Oh, where’s all your courage? Pissed away with the wind?”

Marnie put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped slightly. “Glo… I don’ think you should be doin’ it like this,” she whispered. The brunette ignored her and looked around. Raihan suddenly threw his hands in the air and scoffed.

“You know what? Forget it. Do what you want, Gloria, it’s obvious we can’t change your mind. Just don’t get upset when it blows up in your face.” He left without saying goodbye, tossing his binder on the table.

Leon sighed and shook his head. “This is not the way, Champion, but thank you for the meeting. We’ll have more discussions about this, I’m sure. See you all later!” He ran after Raihan.

Gordie stood and left without another word, Milo following hastily.

Kabu nodded at Gloria. “Thank you, Champion. I will take a closer look at these documents and send you my thoughts in an email. I hope we can come to a resolution that does not involve…” he looked up, then down, “forceful measures. Goodbye.” He left, steps echoing in the room.

Nessa sighed. “Not the way I would have done it, even though I do agree with what you’re trying to do. I’ve had enough of wild Dynamaxed Pokemon ruining my stadium. I’ll talk to Sonia about this, but thanks. See ya.” As she left, Bea marched up to her, jamming a finger against her chest. Gloria looked down then back up into her eyes, frowning.

“How dare you—” she seethed, eyes narrowing. “What are you trying to pull here? Allister is _just a kid_ and you summon this—” she pointed up “—this _monster_?”

“B-Bea—” Allister tried, pulling on her hand. Even with his mask on he looked upset. “She was j-just trying to calm everyone d-down.”

The Fighting expert put her palms against Gloria and shoved her back. Marnie glowered at her and moved to attack but the champion put her arm out. “No, stop. Say what’s on your mind, Bea. Obviously, there’s something else you have to say to me.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she clenched her fists. “You’re not worth it. Not anymore.” She turned to Allister. “Let’s go. We’re done here.” Her brother stepped back and shook his head.

“No sis, I believe in G-Gloria, even if you d-don’t.” She narrowed her eyes then left without another word. The brunette sighed and shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Alli. I didn’t mean to make your sister upset with you. You should have gone with her.” The Ghost expert looked down in thought.

“Thank you, but I n-need to learn to s-stand on my own if I wanna be Gym L-Leader.” He shivered. “A-and I agree with you. My Pokemon t-tell me things… they say they feel Eternatus’ anger, a-and it scares them. I don’t want them to b-be scared.”

Gloria enveloped the boy in a hug, squeezing tight. When she pulled away, his violet eyes looked straight into her soul. “We’ll make sure they feel safe and sound, bud. You should get yourself home.” He nodded and left after giving her another hug.

When everyone had left, she turned to her friends and laughed humourlessly. “Well, that could have gone better.”

“Mate, can you please call back Eternatus before I wet myself?” Hop jumped when Eternatus’ core whirred.

“Oh shit, sorry.” She called the beast back to its ball and straightened. Hop approached her and clapped her shoulder with a hand.

“Thanks. And yea, that definitely could have gone better. We still need to do some work to prove to them that this is the right decision, but we should start setting up some protocols to collect Wishing Stars. Maybe start with one city and move out slowly?”

Bede nodded. “It would be wise to approach this gradually and not all at once. People are more accepting of change if it sneaks up on them.”

Gloria looked at Marnie, whose unreadable face said nothing. “I’ll come up with something and keep you all updated. Thanks for your support in this. It means a lot.”

“Any time, mate.” Hop made to leave, then turned around, his face dropping. “Oh and uh, I spoke with Looker earlier today. They’re still trying to find Rose, but it’s like he totally vanished. It’s obvious he got outside help, but no one knows who or why.”

The champion hummed in thought. “So it wasn’t Oleana?”

The assistant professor shook his head. “No, she has an alibi, in the mines.” He sighed then shrugged. “We’ll just have to worry about him later, I suppose. See you!” Hop and Bede left, leaving the couple alone in the room. The Champion stretched and sighed, then looked at her phone.

“Wow, was that meeting really three hours long? I could have sworn—”

“Ya shouldn’ ‘ave summoned Eternatus like that, Gloria.”

The brunette blinked then looked at her lover. “Pardon?”

“Threatenin’ your colleagues like tha’ when ya don’ get your way is wrong.”

“I wasn’t—” Gloria sputtered. “I wasn’t _threatening_ them, I just wanted them to repeat their dumb comments in front of the thing they were hurting! It proved my point that they’re all just talk!”

“It showed them tha’ you don’ care what they think…”

She crossed her arms and turned around. “Well, I don’t, especially not what Gordie thinks. He’s an asshole.”

The raven-haired woman sighed and wrapped her arms around her lover from behind. “He is an asshole,” she muttered against Gloria’s neck. “But that don’ mean ya can just bully ‘im into agreeing with ya.”

The champion sighed. “What do you want me to do, then? Fight with them for years until we run out of energy? Agree to keep Dynamaxing around, basically a ticking time bomb until the next Darkest Day? This is for the future of Galar, Marn, I can’t wait around forever.”

The Spikemuth Gym Leader tightened her arms around her. “You’re startin’ to sound like Rose.”

Gloria’s eyes widened and she turned around, breaking free from her embrace. “Did you seriously just say that—”

“You’re talkin’ ‘bout the future of Galar an’ what’s best an’ how your way is right,” Marnie interrupted, narrowing her eyes. “How’s that any different from Rose?”

“I’m not a maniac hellbent on killing everyone!”

“But ya could turn inta one!” Marnie snapped, breathing heavily. Gloria stood, stunned, as Marnie’s eyes filled with tears that didn’t fall. She took a final deep breath before calming and wrapped her arms around the champion again. “Do ya think Rose was jus’ born evil? No… he _became_ that way. He got arrogant, cocky, thought he knew best. I don’ wanna see the same happen to you…”

Gloria pressed her nose against Marnie’s throat, closing her eyes as they filled with tears. She returned the embrace, seeking comfort. “I understand now. I’m sorry, please don’t be upset. I really didn’t mean to scare anyone, I just thought—” she sighed. “I won’t ever do that again, promise.”

“Thank you,” Marnie whispered, closing her eyes. They stayed quiet for a while, Gloria sniffling occasionally, then she pulled back to smile up at her girlfriend.

“How about we get something to eat, yea? I’m starving.”

The raven-haired woman pressed a kiss to her forehead and intertwined their fingers. “Sure.”


	2. Eye of the Storm

Gloria snapped out of her memories when she finally crossed over into Wyndon. She tapped Corviknight’s body with her ankle and steered her toward the stadium. She saw Bede waiting in front of the entrance with a blonde woman wearing a red cap and skirt, a black tank top and black thigh highs accentuated by her long legs. _That must be her… Serena, was it?_ She landed Corviknight and called her back, stepping forward to greet the trainer with a handshake.

“Um, _bonjour_ —” She sputtered when the taller woman grabbed her hand and pulled her forward to deliver two quick kisses, one on each cheek.

“ _Bonjour! Parlez-vous le Kalo_ _çais?_ ” At her blank stare she sighed. “You must be Gloria, _oui_? I am Serena, from Kalos. I ‘ave ‘eard all about you from _Professeur Sycamore_ as well as _monsieur_ Bede!”

Bede said nothing, but his eye twitched slightly. Gloria knew well enough to not prod him about it, and so she simply smiled at Serena.

“Yup, that’s me! You’re the champion back home, yea?”

The blonde sighed and shook her head. “ _Mais non,_ my rival, Calem, ‘as taken that title from me. But I am ‘ere to learn the Galarian ways to defeat ‘im!”

Gloria grinned, hands on her hips. “I can’t wait to battle you tomorrow! Has Bede given you a tour of the city yet?” She looked at him and he shook his head.

“No, but I have shown her to her hotel to check-in and leave her bags. I believe you should have the honour, _Champion_ , of showing her around your city. I have to prepare for tomorrow.” He turned on his heel and left.

 _Right_ , Gloria thought, suddenly. _He also has an exhibition match… against Marnie in Spikemuth later tomorrow._ She deflated as she thought of her lover. _I hope I can see her before her match and apologize…_

“What is the matter, Gloria?” Serena asked, worry on her face. “Is everything okay?”

The brunette put on a brave face and grinned. “Yup! Nothin’ to worry about. How about we grab some food, yea? You must be hungry after your travels.”

“Euh, _oui,_ I am indeed ‘ungry,” she laughed, looping her arm around Gloria’s. The champion blushed slightly but tugged her along, away from the stadium. They arrived at Bob’s Your Uncle, her favourite, and sat at a booth in the back. “So, what do you recommend ‘ere?”

“Hmm, well I am partial for the steak here—”

“ _C’est bon_ , I will order that!” the blonde beamed, her thick Kalosian accent peeking through. Gloria thought it was endearing.

“Alright, I’ll place our orders. And don’t even think about paying! You’re our guest, after all.”

“Oh, you are too kind, Gloria. _Merci_ ,” she smiled again and set the menu down. “Do you come ‘ere often?”

The brunette nodded. “Yup, it’s my favourite place to eat. Me and my girlfriend come here whenever she visits.”

Serena’s eyes sparkled. “Ah, _c’est vrai d’abord_! You _do_ ‘ave _une_ _copine_!”

She blinked. “A what now?”

The Kalosian laughed. “A, eum, ‘ow did you say—a _girlfriend_. Please, tell me about ‘er!”

It was as though Gloria’s entire body brightened. “Well, her name is Marnie, and she’s from a city called Spikemuth…” She recounted how they met and how they ended up getting together. When she finished, their food had arrived, and Serena sighed wistfully.

“ _C’est tr_ _ès romantique…_ ‘ow I envy you, _champion_. I, too, ‘ave someone back ‘ome, but we are, eum, ‘ow do you say—not on speaking terms at the moment.”

Gloria frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that. If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

The blonde sighed again. “Euh, well, it was my fault, mostly. I said some very… mean things. I really ‘urt ‘er feelings. I did not ‘ave the chance to apologize before I left, and I regret it deeply.”

The brunette put her chin in her palm and sighed. “You and I are in the same boat, Serena. I actually had a fight with Marnie before coming here. I don’t even know why!”

The woman across from her smiled in solidarity. “Those are always the worst. I do ‘ope you can find peace with ‘er.” She lifted her glass of red wine. “ _Pour l’amour._ ”

Gloria followed and they clinked their glasses before digging into their food. When they finished, Serena dabbed her napkin on her lips. _“Ah, d_ _élicieux, merci!_ I do appreciate this, Gloria.”

The champion smiled warmly. “It was no problem. Let’s head out and explore more of the city!”

Serena nodded enthusiastically. “ _Oui!_ ”

Later, in the evening, Gloria was tucked in her bed and her face illuminated by her phone screen in the dark. She had made sure Serena was comfortable in her hotel room before going back to her place. Opened was the chat window between her and Marnie, which hadn’t been active since the day before when they were planning their date. Her Wyndon flat felt empty without her lover, who was likely tucked in her own bed in Spikemuth.

_Marnie <3: Hey, you free tomorrow round 11?_

_Gloria: Yup! Got something planned?_ _😉_

_Marnie <3: You bet. Meet me at the Hammerlocke Wild Area gates._

_Gloria: Sounds like a plan! <3 love you!_

_Marnie: Love you, too._

The champion sighed as she lingered on the messages, thinking. She typed out something, then groaned and erased it.

_Gloria: Hey, can we talk?_

“Ugh, no, too serious.”

_Gloria: I’m sorry about today._

“Too vague… I don’t even know what I’m apologizing for. She’ll just get mad again…”

She sighed, then jumped when she noticed the bubble indicating that Marnie was typing something. She waited for a solid minute, then the bubble disappeared, dashing her hopes. At least she wasn’t the only one who was conflicted.

_Marnie <3: Good luck in your match tomorrow._

The brunette smiled when she saw the message, typing out her own then locking her phone and going to sleep. They were going to be okay, she was sure of it.

_Gloria: Thanks, love. You too! I’ll see you tomorrow <3_

-x-

The champion stretched her limbs as she tried to warm her muscles, eyeing her opponent warily on the other side of the pitch. Serena had put her hair up in a ponytail and dressed in a formfitting athletic outfit, with black spandex shorts and a red sports bra. Gloria decided to go with her looser silver sport shorts and a silver sports tee with the League emblem on the front, her beloved _69_ proudly on the back.

Gloria noticed Serena wore an ebony bracelet with a colourful, glittering jewel set in it. _Ah, the Mega Ring… good, she remembered our discussion._ This exhibition match had more than one purpose, and though Serena had not lied when she said she was here to train, Gloria had also wanted her explicitly because of her talent with Mega Evolution, as she would be able to show Galarians how exciting it was. _And how strong we are without Dynamaxing if I best her in battle…_

The crowd cheered excitedly for their unbeatable champion, and it made Gloria grin as she waved back at some of the more hyper fans. She understood Leon more after taking on this role, loving the praise and attention that they lavished on her. There were also pockets of people cheering for the Kalosian, who blew kisses and waved back enthusiastically.

The two trainers met in the middle and Gloria crossed her arms in front of her chest, smirking. “I’m sorry you came all the way here to lose, Serena.”

Serena smirked back and put a hand to her hip. “You speak with the confidence of a Piplup, _ch_ _érie._ It is you who will lose today.”

“We’ll see about that.” They both returned to their sides of the pitch and pulled out a pokeball. Gloria had decided to switch Zamazenta out for Hydreigon to ensure a fair fight, the other trainer also promising to not use any of her Legendary Pokemon.

“Inteleon!”

“Delphox!”

The two starter Pokemon met in the middle. Delphox twirled her staff as she gazed at her opponent. Inteleon put a hand on his hip and narrowed his eyes. Gloria waited patiently and was not disappointed when Serena called out her first move.

“Psychic!”

“Sucker Punch!”

The blonde’s eyes widened in surprise as Inteleon disappeared into thin air and delivered a powerful hit to Delphox from behind, dealing significant damage. He also took the Psychic and grunted in pain as he returned to his partner. Serena giggled lightly.

“Oh, ‘ow clever you are, _ma belle,_ but it is not enough! Sunny Day!”

“Shit,” Gloria muttered. “Inteleon, Snipe Shot!”

Delphox dodged the weakened water attack with ease. “Solar Beam!”

“Inteleon!” The rapid charging of the Grass attack led to Inteleon’s swift defeat, and Gloria called him back with a sigh.

“That was real ace of ya, Serena, but we’re not givin’ up just yet! Hydreigon, use Crunch!”

Serena tried to call out a command to Delphox, but it was too late as Hydreigon chomped on the Pokemon and knocked her out. She called her back and summoned her next Pokemon, a Florges.

 _Ahhh, shite._ Gloria thought in her head, seeing the Fairy type. _Hydreigon is fucked. Gotta switch ‘em out._ She returned them to their ball and sent Roserade out, taking a Dazzling Gleam in the process, which was not very effective. The Kalocian simply smiled and ordered Florges to set a Lucky Chant. She took a Cross-Poison and fainted, then was switched out for Vaporeon.

“A Water-type?” Gloria chortled, unable to help herself. “You sure ‘bout that?”

“Blizzard!” The Champion’s smile dropped as Roserade was knocked out in one hit. Serena smiled sweetly in response.

“Do not judge the book by the cover, my dear Galarian.”

“I’ll say the same to you! Lucario, Aura Sphere!” Her Pokemon rushed forward and delivered the attack, sending the Pokemon back. Serena commanded another Blizzard, which missed and allowed Lucario to deal the final blow with a Bone Rush. She sent out Noivern, whose agility surpassed Lucario’s, and he unleashed a Sunny Day-boosted Flamethrower that knocked Lucario to low health. The Sunny Day ended then, making the Champion sigh in relief. She had him attack with Dragon Pulse, which dealt a heavy blow, and both Pokemon collapsed to the ground by the next turn.

Serena sent out her Trevenant next and Gloria sent out Ninetails at the same time. She smirked and called out an Inferno attack, which missed as the Pokemon disappeared into thin air. _Phantom Force! Crap!_ She and Ninetails looked around, then gasped when the Pokemon landed the hit, sending Ninetails tumbling forward.

“Hold on!” Gloria called out desperately as Trevenant disappeared again. She held her breath, focusing, then called out an Inferno attack at the very last second. Trevenant was knocked out from the blast, but Ninetails stood shakily. The champion let out a slow breath and watched as Serena let out her last Pokemon, a mean-looking Ampharos.

“It ends ‘ere, _ch_ _érie._ ” Serena put her finger to her band and a bright light shone over Ampharos as his form changed and he grew a beautiful white mane. Gloria watched in awe as he mega-evolved, and the crowd gasped in amazement. She didn’t even have time to blink when it unleashed a Thunder attack so powerful, it caused tremors in the earth when it landed on Ninetails, knocking her out right away.

Gloria sent out Corviknight, a strategy forming in her mind. _It’s a Dragon-Electric type now, right? I need to be careful…_

Her Pokemon were still faster than Ampharos, which would be her saving grace. “Swagger!”

Ampharos grew angry and confused in his enraged state. “Ampharos, use Zap Cannon!” He disobeyed and hit himself in confusion. “ _Non!”_

“Alright, Corviknight, this is our chance! Hone Claws!”

“Zap Cannon!” He hit himself in confusion again.

Gloria’s breath quickened. “Hone Claws! Almost there!”

“Ampharos, I believe in you! Zap Cannon!”

The Pokemon shook himself free of confusion and unleashed a knockout Zap Cannon attack, Corviknight squawking in pain before collapsing from exhaustion. Gloria recalled her then sent out Hydreigon. _We can do this!_

Serena met Gloria’s eyes across the field and winked. “Ampharos, Dragon Pulse!” Hydreigon had the benefit of speed and full vitality and unleashed a move she’d been practicing with them for years.

“Draco Meteor!”

The attacks caused an explosion in the middle of the pitch and the audience was on the edge of their seats as they looked on in anticipation. When the dust settled, Gloria stood, Hydreigon floating next to her, while Ampharos laid face down, back in his normal form. They went wild with cheers for their Champion and she waved in thanks. Serena recalled her Pokemon and met Gloria in the middle as she followed suit. The blonde smiled and shook her hand.

“That was excellent, my dear. _Spectaculaire!_ ”

“That was probably the best battle I’ve had in a while,” she confessed. “You really had me cornered there.”

“Ah, but you knew what to do. You are truly deserving of the title of _champion_.”

“Thanks, Serena. Are you heading back to Kalos now?”

“I’m afraid so, though I do wish I could stay longer. But _mon amour me manque tellement_ , and I was inspired by our chat yesterday and wish to, euh, smooth things over.”

Gloria giggled. “Alrigh’ then, well here’s my number if you ever want to talk. It was a pleasure to meet you!”

“ _Et vous_.”

After the battle, Gloria leaned against the wall in the locker room in exhaustion and slid down, resting her head back. That had truly been a tough match, and she had gotten incredibly lucky with Hydreigon being fresh in the end. _It was a good call to bring them back from Florges…_

She blinked when she saw a shadow and looked up to meet Marnie’s intense turquoise gaze, as well as a helping hand. Her heart stuttered and she took it gratefully, hefting herself up and into her lover’s arms for an embrace. She shivered when the raven-haired woman slid her hand under her jersey, stroking her back.

“Hey,” the champion whispered, closing her eyes.

“Hey,” she whispered back. “That was a great battle. You were amazin’, as always.”

“Thanks, I’m glad you could make it.”

“‘Course I’d make it…”

“I know, I just—” Gloria sighed and pulled back. She cupped Marnie’s cheek and met her eyes. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I sensed something was off but I didn’t think to ask you about it. What’s wrong?”

The woman averted her gaze. “‘S’okay, I’m sorry, too. Was jus’ in a mood.” _She can’t know about the ring—not yet!_

“That’s it?” she pressed, moving to meet her eyes again. “Nothing else?”

Marnie sighed and lowered her eyes. “Not ready to talk ‘bout it yet, okay? Can we change the subject?”

Gloria pursed her lips but nodded. “Alright. As long as you’re okay, then fine. I’ll drop it, _for now_.”

“Thank you.” She smiled slightly, then poked her girlfriend’s side, who yelped in surprise. “Ya seemed _awfully_ frien’ly with tha’ trainer back there…”

The champion laughed. “Oh, Serena? Love, don’t tell me you’re _jealous_ …” She smirked and slid her hand down Marnie’s front, playing with the button of her jeans. “Let me show you where my loyalties lie if you’re so worried…”

The Spikemuth Gym Leader’s eyes darkened as she leaned forward to capture her lover’s lips.

“Please do.”

-x-

When they finally exited the stadium, it was to a large crowd. But they weren’t cheering for Gloria, rather they held signs with nasty insults and catchy slogans. When they saw the champion, they erupted into yelling and jeering. The local police held back the protestors with wooden rails and tape, Arcanine stationed in a perimeter around the stairs leading up to the stadium.

Gloria squinted at one of the signs. “ _Your Champ is a Tramp_. Wow, creative! Love it. They’ve been getting better at these.”

Marnie’s eyes narrowed. “ _Keep Calm and Dynamax_? Really? Who writes this shite…”

The brunette laughed and looped her arm around one of her girlfriend’s. “Well, at least they’re making their point clear. They hate my guts and they want me to bring back Dynamaxing. Too bad a silly little protest isn’t gonna change my mind… hasn’t for the last three years!”

“You shoul’ be careful, still,” Marnie mumbled. “Things migh’ seem harmless now, but it can all go to pot right quick. Feels like they’ve been gettin’ bigger and bolder lately.”

Gloria waved a hand lightly. “Eh, I’m not worried. If they try anything they know what’s coming to ‘em.” She summoned Corviknight and gestured to her Pokemon. “Don’t you have a match to catch? Let’s go!”

The two sat on Corviknight’s strong back and held on tight as she soared into the air, heading back to Spikemuth. The protestors’ shouts faded into the distance as they climbed higher in altitude, flying under the clouds. Soon, they arrived near Spikemuth and landed outside the gate, which was now wide open. Gloria looked around in wonder, grinning at all the changes.

Before, Spikemuth had been practically desolate, with decrepit buildings and shops jammed together. Piers and Marnie had agreed to allow Hop to test some of his renewable energy ideas on the city, since they would be able to see changes the quickest. With his help, they were able to attract investors and employed many of the local citizens to install the solar panels on the dome of the city.

Their close proximity to the coastline also allowed the installation of cylindrical electrical generators powered by the ocean’s waves and large Pokemon migration routes. With increased battery storage, boosted solar panel and generator efficiency, Hop promised the city it would be self-sustaining at the end of a decade. And with all the construction projects and maintenance jobs, the citizens were able to acquire gainful employment that allowed them to upgrade their infrastructure.

It looked a little more like Mauville City in Hoenn now, but it still retained the punk aesthetic with the dark interior and neon lights still present. Not everything had been changed, but at least now there was a stadium just outside the city, attached to the other end, past the old courtyard.

“Hop’s really outdone himself, yea?”

“The bloke’s a genius.” The couple looked to see Piers standing at the entrance to city, leaning against the wall. Gloria bounded over to him and grinned.

“Piers! Back from your tour?”

He nodded and shrugged. “Yea, an’ I didn’ wanna miss li’l sis’ match.”

The champion pouted. “But you missed mine…”

The man sighed. “Can’t win with everyone…” He pushed off the wall and pointed his chin forward. “Let’s go, people are waitin’ on ya.”

Gloria went ahead excitedly and Piers hung back to talk to Marnie. “So, did ya chicken out?” he muttered.

“Shut up,” Marnie grunted, glancing over at him. “We were interrupted, haven’t had the righ’ timin’ yet.”

“Sure.” He groaned when she elbowed his ribs. The brunette looked behind her curiously at them and he smiled to reassure her, dropping it when she turned back around. “The fuck, Marn? Stop messin’ aroun’ an’ ask ‘er.”

Marnie rolled her eyes. “Don’ even talk ‘bout relationships with me righ’ now… when are ya gonna settle down with someone? Have ya talked to you-know-who yet?” When he didn’t answer she prodded him gently with another elbow. “Well?”

“Shut it,” he mumbled, a blush barely visible on his visage. Marnie turned her head to look at him, eyes wide.

“Did ya actually—”

“Oi, let’s hurry up, yea? Bede’s getting pissed!” Gloria shouted from across the street, already at the courtyard. Marnie sighed and walked at a brisk pace, Piers close behind. When they finally entered the stadium lobby, they saw people line up to get tickets, which surprised them. “Huh, no offense but I didn’t expect this many people to show up.”

“Same, honestly,” Marnie replied, eyes wide. Gloria turned to her and kissed her chastely, wishing her luck quietly. She went over to chat with Bede, who was busy signing autographs for fans. Piers clapped his hand on his sister’s shoulder and squeezed.

“Good luck out there,” he said. She turned to him and crossed her arms. His smile faltered and he sighed. “A-an’ we’ll talk later, promise.”

She smiled slightly and nodded once. “Alrigh’. See ya.” She went to meet with Bede and the two entered the locker rooms to prepare for the match. Gloria returned to Piers’ side and dragged him over to the gates leading into the stands. They picked out seats close to the front but far enough to see both ends of the pitch.

“So, have you heard from Hop lately?” she asked as they waited for the match to start.

“Nah, not since he left ta Sunyshore to study their solar panels. Bede says he’s comin’ back home soon, though.”

“It’s amazing how much he was able to do here for you guys. And he couldn’t have done it without ya.”

Piers smiled. “Spikemuth’s changed for the better, thanks ta ‘im. An’ you, Gloria. It’s ‘cause of you that this stadium is so full—people are finally understandin’ tha’ great Pokemon battles can happen without Dynamaxin’.”

The champion blushed slightly under the praise and shook her head. “No, that was all you, Piers. You inspired me during our gym battle. You gave me the courage I needed to make this step, so thank you.”

They turned when the crowd started to cheer, Marnie and Bede standing at opposite ends of the pitch. Gloria pointed ahead and laughed. “Team Yell, back at it again!” Off to the side of the pitch, by the tunnels, was a small gathering a Team Yell members shouting obscenities at Bede and praises at Marnie. Marnie seemed highly embarrassed but waved at her fans, while Bede looked increasingly irritated by the attention.

“Only in Spikemuth,” the former Gym Leader sighed. He looked at the champion and smirked. “Marnie?” he asked.

“Oh, definitely. She did not like losing to Bede last time. She’s gonna win this one for sure.”

-x-

After the match—Marnie had won, completely crushing Bede’s team in retaliation for their previous bout—Gloria met up with her friends and congratulated her girlfriend with a deep kiss. Bede rolled his eyes and sighed. Piers looked at him and smirked.

“You two were incredible out there!” Gloria complimented. “But I have to say, Marnie killed it.”

“She got lucky,” Bede commented airily. Marnie said nothing but smiled slightly. His phone beeped and he opened the message, a warm smile growing on his face. He looked up when he felt eyes and blushed.

“I-it’s Hop,” he stuttered. “He said his plane will be taking off soon, should be here in a few hours.”

“I can’t wait to see him,” the brunette said. “It’s been a month since we’ve—" Suddenly, Gloria’s phone rang and she picked it up. “Howdy, Sonia! What can I do for you today?”

_“Hey, Glo—mind coming by my lab? I’ve got an update for you.”_

“Sure thing. Be there in a jiffy.” She hung up and turned to the group sadly. “Sorry, I have to take this…” Marnie pecked her lips and nodded.

“Go, Piers an’ I ‘ave some things to take care of.” Piers averted his gaze and Gloria tilted her head in confusion but didn’t question it.

“I need to prepare for Hop—err, by that I mean make dinner. For Opal. Don’t you dare say anything!” Bede stammered, face reddening as Gloria snickered.

“Alright, then. I’m off! See ya!”

The champion took off on Corviknight once more, promising her special treats for all her hard work lately. It took a couple of hours to get to Wedgehurst and she decided she’d visit her mum after, too. She entered Sonia’s lab and knocked on the door.

“Delivery!”

Papers rustled and a chair rolled back to reveal Sonia wearing a welder’s mask. She lifted it up and grinned. “We don’t want any!” she answered, laughing. She stood and put away her tools, approaching Gloria for a hug. The brunette reciprocated then stepped back, smiling. She turned to greet Nessa, who was perched on the reception desk, legs crossed and on her phone. The Water expert looked up and smiled.

“Hey Gloria. How’s everything? Marnie doing okay?”

“Good, thanks! She’s with Piers right now, back in Spikemuth.” She turned to Sonia and crossed her arms. “What’s new? What update were you talking about?”

The professor’s smile faltered slightly, and she sighed. “It’s about the Wishing Stars we’ve been collecting across the region. We’ve got quite a few of them now, but there’s a nagging feeling that we might be missing some…”

“Right, but we can’t do anything about those until they show up on our radar.”

“Yes, true. I’ve also been tracking the old PSDs around the Galar region and haven’t noticed anything unusual, but still. Anyway, that’s not why I called you here.” Sonia turned around and went to her workstation. Technically, it was Hop’s workstation, but they had both picked up some basic engineering skills to pursue Hop’s ideas.

The table was a mess of equipment: soldering irons, flux paste, insulated wires, PCBs, resistors, capacitors, transistors… Gloria blinked as Sonia cleared a space on the table and dropped a small pouch. Nessa jumped off her perch and walked up to the duo, curiously looking over her wife’s shoulder.

The professor pointed to a nearby magnifying glass and the champion approached to see a Wishing Star suspended in the air by a metal claw. “Were you conducting tests on them?” she asked.

Sonia nodded. “Yes, just trying to study some of their properties since you want to destroy them all. We haven’t figured out the best way of doing it—they’re pretty hard to crush—but we think with some major heat treatment we can reduce them to powder.”

“What’s in the pouch?”

“All the Wishing Stars we’ve gathered so far. I’d feel safer if they were kept with you, to be honest. Hop’s constantly away on conferences and collaborations and as much as I love Yamper, he just isn’t enough to fend off potential attackers…” She hugged herself and smiled when Nessa wrapped her arms around her from behind. “I was lucky those two muppets hadn’t done anything disastrous when they came for our Wishing Stars years ago.” She felt the arms around her tighten protectively and leaned back.

The champion sighed, remembering the event. “Sure, I’ll hold on to them for you. Once we can establish the best method of destruction, these fellas are gone for good.”

“Thanks, Glo. I have to get back to work but tell everyone I say hi!”

“Same here,” Nessa added.

“No problem and will do. See ya!”

Gloria turned and exited the lab, the pouch of Wishing Stars clasped to her belt. Sonia turned to Nessa and smiled, the latter moving her arms to go around her neck. The redhaired woman snaked her arms around her lover’s waist and pressed close.

“I love when you get into your nerd zone,” Nessa mumbled against Sonia’s cheek. The Professor laughed in response and pulled back to peck her nose.

“Is that why you’re here instead of doing your job back in Hulbury?”

“I missed you,” the Gym Leader complained, “can’t a woman visit her wife at work?”

Sonia laughed again and kissed her sweetly. She held her hand, rubbing her thumb over the gold band endearingly. “Of course she can, provided she lets her get back to work.”

Nessa rolled her eyes and stepped away. “Sure, get back to your nerd things while I watch.” Sonia couldn’t resist planting another kiss when she saw her wife pout.


	3. Evasive Maneuvers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHIT GOES DOWN FOLKS, GET READYYYYYYYYYYYYY

A man in a gray trench coat and gray slacks walked hurriedly down the streets in Circhester. He held an umbrella over the gray fedora on his head to protect him from the freezing rain, though it did not help in the downpour. Finally, he reached his goal, and tucked away his umbrella before stepping into the restaurant.

Bob’s Your Uncle was packed, which made it the perfect area to hold meetings. The man looked around and saw the agreed upon identifying clothes of his companion: a black bowler hat and a black trench coat. He sat at the table behind the man, their backs facing each other, and put his arm back to pass a piece of paper. The other man accepted it and scribbled something on it before returning it to him.

He looked down and nodded. To ensure they were meeting the right people, they had a secret code to crack. The man behind him was exactly who he wanted to see.

_How was the weather in Wyndon?_

_The wind was strong, and the flames have been fanned._

“Did you see the Champion?” The man with the fedora leaned back slightly to speak and turned his head to listen.

“Yes. She has left the city to attend the Spikemuth match. She was recently witnessed heading towards Wedgehurst. We have our people stationed in Wyndon and on route ten.”

The other man nodded and stroked his beard. “Good, good… well then, I should be going. Keep up the good work.”

He stood to leave and passed by the other man but stopped when his wrist was grabbed. He looked down to see the man’s blue glasses glint and reveal his blue eyes. “We will always be loyal to you, Chairman Rose…”

Rose smiled, but there was no joy in his eyes. “I know.” He tugged his wrist away and left the restaurant, umbrella back up. He called for a Corviknight Taxi and walked over to the Pokemon centre to wait. On his way, glanced off to the side briefly, then did a double take. He stopped in his tracks, mouth open. “Oleana…?”

The woman across from him paused and turned to face him, but he quickly swiveled around and fled. _Not her. I cannot believe I did that just now. She could have recognized me…_ He shook his head to clear his thoughts, then looked up to see his ride waiting for him. _Finally. I despise this city._

When he was safely tucked into the cab and in the air, he pulled his phone out and dialled a number. _I do detest these… check-up calls… but there is no choice for me here._

 _“Yes?”_ A deep voice sounded through the phone. Rose could picture the man right now, leaning back in his leather chair at their headquarters, cigar in his hand, feet up on his carved desk. _“What is it, Rose?”_

“The Champion is outside of Wyndon. I just confirmed this with our contact in Circhester. She should be away when he arrives.” He gripped the phone tightly in his hands and looked out the window. In just a few short hours, this view would be part of his target’s last living moments. _I should feel shame, or sadness, but instead I feel… nothing. Not even pride._

_“Excellent. Then we shall move to the next phase of our plan. Soon, we will rush in a new era of Dynamaxing.”_

The man hung up and Rose sighed. _Was this worth it? All of this…_ He frowned and clenched his jaw.

“I will do everything in my power to keep this beautiful region alive,” he muttered softly, closing his eyes. “I only wish you were here with me, Oleana…”

-x-

“So,” Marnie started, setting down her beer after taking a swig, “who’s this myst’ry person in your life?”

The siblings were in their flat, relaxing in the living room. Two six packs of beer bottles were opened, with nine empty ones standing near Piers’ feet, one in his hand, one still full on the table and one in Marnie’s hands. She hadn’t meant to get him drunk, but he loved the taste of beer and could hardly help himself when presented with his favourite brew.

Piers cleared his throat, then pointed the neck of his bottle at his sister. “Ya don’ know ‘er,” he slurred, leaning back on the sofa. “Least, I don’ think ya do…”

Marnie frowned, disappointed. _I could have sworn he had feelings for Raihan…_ The Gym Leader leaned forward, curious. “What do ya mean?”

“Ya been ta Alola, righ’?”

“Um…” the raven-haired woman frowned. Then, her eyes lit up. “Yea, me an’ Glo, few years back… why?”

The singer took a long sip of his beer, then belched. “Was on tour there, recently. An’ I met someone on Akala Island…”

Marnie’s face paled slightly as she recalled a certain someone she hoped she’d never hear from again. “Don’ tell me it’s—”

“Olivia!”

The woman blinked. “Olivia?” _Why does that sound so familiar?_

“Yup.” Piers didn’t elaborate, instead continuing to drink his beer in silence. When he emptied it, he went for another one, but was stopped when Marnie swiped the last cold bottle. “Oi!”

“If ya want it, ya gotta tell me more ‘bout this _Olivia_ …”

“Ugh, _fine_.” Piers threw himself back and ran a hand through his hair. “I was in Konikoni city an’ performin’ a song at th’ ligh’house, ya know, an’ I happened to see someone lookin’ righ’ at me. So when I finished the song I went up to ‘er an’ asked ‘er out an’ she _agreed_! _”_

“Wha—that’s bollocks, Piers.” Marnie narrowed her eyes and uncapped the bottle, threatening to sip from it. His eyes widened and he shot up and put his hands out to placate her.

“N-no, ’s the truth, swear on my guitar!” he slurred, his emotions melding his words together. His sister slowly put the beer down and slid it towards him. As he went to grab it, she picked it up at the last second and he groaned. “Marn, the fuck—”

“Does she work at a jewelry store?” she asked, finally putting the pieces together.

Piers thought hard for a moment and nodded slowly. “Yea… yea I think she does. She owns it, too.” She let him have the beer and he frowned at it. “How’d ya know?”

“Woman’s intuition,” she muttered. At his blank look she rolled her eyes. “How the fuck do ya think? I met her when me an’ Gloria were there.” Her hand went to her first piercing. “I had to replace the piercin’ ya got me when we were there like ten years ago…”

The rocker squeezed his eyes shut, as if physically willing a memory to surface. “I remember that. Innit where ya met tha’ one slag, ugh, what’s ‘er name…”

“Plumeria.”

He snapped his fingers as a light went off in his head. “Plumeria! Righ’… tha’ bitch.” He took another long swig, as if to erase the taste her name brought to his mouth. “Never forgave ‘er for breakin’ your heart.” He sat up suddenly. “Wait, ya lost tha’ piercin’? How?”

Marnie pinched the bridge of her nose. “Piers, we’ve gone over this already. I lost it while Mantine surfin’.”

“Righ’, righ’… wait—you, _you,_ went Mantine surfin’?”

She groaned and pressed the heel of her palms into her eyes. She paused when she heard sniffling, then looked up to see Piers bawling his eyes out. Panic filled her and she stood up quickly and went over to him.

“Piers, what’s wrong—”

“Raihaaaaaaaaan!” he wailed, slumping back. “Why can’t I tell ya how I feel?” Snot dripped from his nose and he wiped it with the back of his hand. Marnie scrunched her nose in disgust and grabbed a tissue to clean his face and wrists.

“Piers, ya should confess your feelin’s. Hidin’ them’s not gonna help ya. An’ sleepin’ aroun’s jus’ gonna hurt ya an’ th’ other person.”

“B-but,” Piers blubbered, nearly incoherent, “Raihan an’ Leon—they’re _together_ —I don’ ‘ave a chance.”

“The hell are ya sayin’? They’re not together,” Marnie mumbled, but it went unnoticed as Piers sat up suddenly, hand to his mouth. Her eyes widened and she tried stepping away but it was too late. “Piers, _what the fu—”_ He vomited onto her lap and slumped forward, unconscious.

She sighed and shook her head, hoping her brother came to his senses soon.

-x-

Gloria pouted as her eyes stung from the onions she was chopping. Though her mum had been happy to see her, she quickly put her to work to help with preparing dinner. She rubbed her wrists across her eyes and sniffled, but it wasn’t enough.

“Gloria! Why are you crying?” Stella gasped, rushing to her.

“Mum, I’m cuttin’ the onions.”

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. Let me open up a window.” The cool evening breeze helped alleviate some of the burning, but she still sniffled occasionally. Stella set the table and turned the telly on as Gloria poured the diced onions into a pan for frying. The champion had been trying to learn how to cook in the past year to be of more help to her girlfriend in the kitchen, since the latter always prepared their meals when they were together.

When the onions finally cooked, she mixed in some garlic and salt then added them to her tomato paste that had been slow cooking over the stove. Stella came over and sniffed at it eagerly. “Has Marnie been teaching you? This smells amazing, dear.”

“Uh, yea, actually… and I’ve been watching some videos.” Gloria grinned proudly at her mum’s praise. “Are the pasta noodles finished yet?”

Stella went over and turned the heat off under the pot, then emptied it over a strainer. “All ready, dear.”

“Okay, perfect.” She mixed the noodles into her now-finished paste and stepped back with a flourish. “Dinner… is served!”

Stella clapped. “Bravo, dear! Well done.” The mother and daughter sat together at the table and dug in, happy with the result. Gloria turned to watch the telly and frowned as she finally became aware of what was on.

_“Earlier today, Champion Gloria declined to answer the public’s growing concerns about the state of Galar’s energy reserves, providing no comment as to her silence on the matter. Academics have come out publicly to challenge Galarian Associate Professor Hop’s ideas on renewable energy, citing the costs high and the production inferior to Macro Cosmos’ Dynamax energy solutions.”_

The champion’s jaw dropped. “Uh, what?! I didn’t—no one asked me anything! And I haven’t heard anything about people being against Hop!”

_“The champion was seen leaving Wyndon Stadium with her controversial lover, Marnie, who is also the Gym Leader of Spikemuth. Numerous advocates of transparency in the Pokemon League have expressed concerns regarding their relationship, citing potential conflicts of interest in allocating funding and tournament preparations.”_

Gloria’s jaw dropped further and her eyes widened. She turned to Stella in shock. “M-mum! What is this? Why are you watching this?”

Her mother blushed and shrugged. “I’m sorry dear, but there’s this really good drama they have that I absolutely adore. I don’t even watch the news.” She sighed, putting her hand over Gloria’s. “Don’t let them get to you. You know that there are many people who are happy with what you’re doing, and they know that you will be fair to everyone.”

_“Peaceful grassroots protests in Wyndon Stadium continued until police forcefully disbanded them. The commissioner has stated that while he does believe in the freedom of speech of Galarians, he does not condone violent outbursts and threats of violence, despite there being no proof of—”_

Gloria shut the telly off with a huff. “That’s enough out of you. I can’t believe people actually believe this—this _bollocks_!” Her phone started ringing and she sighed. “What now?” She answered when she saw Bede’s name.

“Bede, what do you—”

_“Gloria, please, it’s Hop—I think he’s in trouble.”_

The brunette straightened, heart jumping to a quick pace. “What happened?”

-x-

Hop stretched and smiled when the pilot announced the plane had landed and that it was safe to disembark. He stood and collected his briefcase and carry-on from the overhead storage and thanked the flight attendant as he exited the small jet onto the runway. He entered the airport and passed through customs easily with his passport and stood in the lobby. He set his carry-on down and briefcase on his lap when he sat on a bench and opened his chat with Bede on his phone.

_Hopip: Hey, love! Finally landed at Wyndon International. Mind picking me up?_

_Bedoof: Sure. I’m finishing up dinner for us and Opal and will be there soon._

Hop smiled at the message and locked his phone. He closed his eyes, arms clutching his briefcase. _Travelling is so exhausting… glad I’ll be home for the next few months._ He blinked his eyes open when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Sorry to bother ya, guv’nor, but are ya Hop by any chance?” The man was dressed in a pilot’s uniform – he was the usual Corviknight Taxi driver in Wyndon.

The associate professor straightened and nodded. “Yup! What can I do for you?”

The pilot shrugged and passed him a slip of paper. “Some folks wanted me to tell ya they got a special taxi for ya—says it’s on behalf o’ the Pokemon Fan Club Association.”

“Oh… well, I already have a ride on the way, so—”

“Oh, Professor, please let us help! It’s the least we can do for you after all your hard work to save Pokemon from the terrors of Dynamaxing!” A woman had suddenly approached him and slid to her knees, hands clasped as though begging. The pilot fidgeted awkwardly and left, giving Hop a thumbs up.

“That’s very, uh, kind of you, but I’m quite alri—”

“Professor, we insist! Please, let us help!” A red-haired man appeared and followed the woman, looking up at him with tears in his eyes. At this point, the young scientist felt extremely awkward and looked around to see people staring. He sighed then nodded, smiling slightly at their cheers.

“Okay, okay… you win. Just let me text my ride that I’m okay.”

“We will be waiting for you outside!”

_Hoppip: Hey, change of plans. Some enthusiastic Pokemon Fan Club people got me a taxi and insisted I take it. I’ll see you soon <3_

They loaded his carry-on and went to take his briefcase, but he smiled and shook his head. “Sorry, but this stays with me. Thanks though.” He entered the taxi and the man tapped the metal cab, signalling the pilot to take off. Hop waved at the receding faces of the fans and leaned back against his seat with another sigh.

“So weird, but also very kind.” He looked out the window, enjoying the sights.

_Bedoof: Okay, safe travels, dear._

Hop’s heart stuttered with happiness. It wasn’t often that Bede used endearing terms, but when he did, it meant that he missed him quite a bit. He couldn’t wait to see him again and run his hands through his floofy hair.

They had been going steady for almost as long as Marnie and Gloria. Hop never would have imagined he would end up with someone like Bede—someone totally opposite him in appearance and personality—but he was perfect. When he was younger, everyone had always assumed he and Gloria would end up together, but that was quickly shown to not be the case when teenaged Gloria had been seen snogging the Wedgehurst merchant’s daughter.

 _Bede always gives the softest kisses…_ Hop sighed, feeling his face warm. He recalled the first time they kissed, back on their way to Wyndon on Route 10. Well, technically, their first kiss had been Hop’s faux pas in Hammerlocke, when he had first confessed, but they both agreed that it didn’t count. _That noise he makes when I grab his hair._ The associate professor shifted, then tugged on the collar of his shirt. _Probably not the best time to be thinking about this stuff…_

He wondered what Gloria and Marnie were up to. Marnie had told him of her plans to propose, and he wondered if she had done so by now. _She told me she was planning on doing it… yesterday, was it?_ He pulled his phone out again and checked his chat history with her from a week ago.

_Hoppip: YES!!! I SHIP IT!_

_Marneep: Ship? Why are you talking about boats_

_Marneep: ?_

_Hoppip: No Marnie like_

_Hoppip: I STAN it_

_Marneep: Who’s Stan?_

Hop chuckled to himself, shaking his head. He still wasn’t sure if she had been messing with him or if she had been genuinely confused.

_Hoppip: Just_

_Hoppip: ugh_

_Hoppip: Forget it_

_Hoppip: What I mean to say is I am happy for u two and I can’t wait to be the best man!!!_

_Marneep: Thanks. Hopefully she says yes…_

_Hoppip: Are you kidding me??? Ofc she’ll say yes!! She’s obsessed with you_

_Marneep:_ _😊_

_Hoppip: Oh no, she’s got you using emojis now!! You two are perfect for each other_

That was his last message to her, and it made him smile. He tapped out another message, hoping to get good news.

_Hoppip: Ahoy! Captain of the gothgfship here. What should I wear to your wedding???_

He waited five minutes, then jumped when his phone dinged.

_Marneep: Sorry, Hop. No wedding yet. Have to take of Piers rn, I’ll talk to u later_

_Marneep: Welcome back_

He frowned, wondering what went wrong. _There’s no way Gloria said no… right?_ He wrote one final message then put his phone away.

_Hoppip: Sorry to hear that… idk what happened, but I hope everything is ok. And thanks! Good to be back._

He looked out the window, seeing the sunset over the tundra of Route 10. He turned his head back to the front and closed his eyes, sighing. After half an hour, he frowned and looked out the window again when he checked his phone. _We should be in Ballonlea by now…_ Even in the dark, he could tell that they were still over the frozen wasteland of Route 10 and nowhere near the meadow of Ballonlea. He rapped his knuckles against the ceiling of the cab and frowned deeper when no reply came. _The hell?_

He opened the cab door slightly to put his head out, then heard a strange beeping noise. When he leaned his ear closer to inspect it, he gasped as the cab was suddenly dropped in the middle of the air. He looked up to see the Corviknight fly away, then looked down, seeing the ground approaching. Thinking quick, he summoned his Corviknight, grabbed his briefcase and jumped onto his partner’s back. However, they were still too close to the cab when it exploded.

“AHHHH!!” Hop screamed as the blast threw him off his Pokemon, Corviknight’s steel down taking most of the impact. He fell freely through the air, gaining speed as gravity pulled him down, and he saw his life flash before his eyes. _Bede! I can’t do this to him…_ He grit his teeth and looked to see Corviknight falling, likely hurt from the explosion. “CORVIKNIGHT!”

His Pokemon jolted awake at his voice and screeched as he realized what was happening. He quickly took control and caught Hop on his back, narrowly avoiding the tundra a few feet below them. He navigated between the trees, but he faltered as his injuries caught up to him, and the duo crashed into the frozen shrub, tumbling until they slowed to a stop.

Hop groaned and lifted his hands to his aching head, then patted his partner. “Thanks, mate. Reckon ya saved my life back there.” Corviknight crowed softly and he returned him to his ball. He sat up and went to check his phone and cursed when he saw it was malfunctioning. Poor Rotom had fainted.

He sighed and lied back down in the snow, shivering. Beside him, his briefcase remained intact, which he was glad for. _So much of my work is in there… I can’t lose it. I need to survive this._

-x-

When the clock ticked forty-five minutes past seven, Bede knew deep in his gut that something was very, very wrong. Hop would have eagerly messaged him by now, saying something stupid like _I can see you all the way from up here!_ But he checked his phone, and there was nothing. He tapped his foot impatiently and Opal came into the room, yawning.

“Bede, dear, what is the matter? I can hear your foot from the other side of the house.” When she saw his eyes glisten with tears, she straightened. “Bede, is Hop alright?”

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly, standing. “He should have been here by now. He would have told me if he were being delayed. Something is amiss, Miss Opal.”

Opal’s expression turned grave. “Let us consult Gardevoir. She can illuminate the situation.” Bede nodded and summoned his Pokemon, who greeted him cheerfully. When she saw their faces, her smile turned into a frown and she nodded, closing her eyes. Bede closed his eyes as well and allowed her to enter his mind, reading his thoughts and worries and projecting her vision to him.

What he saw made him gasp. Hop, alone with Cinderace and Zacian, travelling through a snowstorm in scorched slacks and a button down and holding a briefcase. He paid close attention to the vegetation and opened his eyes as an idea struck him.

“Route ten—he’s there. I will look for him.” Opal stopped him with a hand to his shoulder.

“You should ask your friends for help, young Bede.” When he nodded, she smiled and lightly tapped his cheek. “Good. Be careful and stay warm!”

Bede took his phone out and dialled the first number he could think of.

“Gloria, please, it’s Hop—I think he’s in trouble.”

-x-

Gloria and Bede met up at the train station on Route 10, both with serious and solemn expressions. Bede looked around and frowned. “Marnie will not be joining us?”

The champion sighed and shook her head. “She’s not picking up. I think Piers has her tied with something. Let’s go, we can’t waste time here.”

The Gym Leader nodded and summoned Gardevoir. “She will guide us to Hop’s location, but we cannot take too long otherwise she will faint.”

They started off in the direction Gardevoir pointed them to, following her glow in the snowstorm. Gloria summoned Zamazenta in his Crowned Shield Forme and Bede summoned Hatterene to put up a Safeguard around them. The champion gasped when she looked up at the trees.

“Bede! Look, there’s a ton of damage here. Must be where they crashed. And look over there!” She ran ahead in the storm and crouched by three sets of prints, trailing her fingers over them. “Footprints! They’re a little old, but he was definitely here with Cinderace and Zacian, looks like.”

Bede was slightly impressed that she was able to identify the Pokemon’s prints—he hadn’t told her Hop had let out his Pokemon to help him. “Yes, it appears so. Let’s follow the trail, Gardevoir take a rest for now.”

The duo continued in the dark, Gloria’s Rotom phone providing a torch for them to see. Finally, they saw what appeared to be light leaking from the mouth of a cave, and they looked at each other with hope. When they got to the cave, they were relieved to see Hop, alive and shivering with snot dripping from his nose. He grinned when he saw them. Zacian lifted her head and barked, and Zamazenta rushed over to her to greet her. Cinderace waved excitedly from beside Hop.

“Took ya long enough.”

“Hop!” Gloria exclaimed, overjoyed. “I knew you’d be too stubborn to die!”

Bede rushed forward and inspected Hop, lips turned down in worry. “You are injured. Was there—”

“An explosion?” Hop interrupted. “Yup. Almost got bombed to pieces up there. Thankfully, I found out just before it went off and Corviknight saved my hide. Bugger’s injured right now, so I’d like to get to a Pokemon centre soon as we can.”

The Fairy expert nodded. “Of course, let me help you up.” They looked at each other for a while, then Bede pulled him for a passionate kiss, tears streaming down both of their cheeks.

Gloria smiled and turned away to give them privacy and stepped out of the cave to look around. She noticed an object glinting in the moonlight and frowned, approaching it. Zamazenta came up beside her, growling and angling his mane around her protectively. He looked around cautiously, and she gasped when he pushed her over then stiffened his mane, a deafening gunshot ringing in her ears.

The champion wasted no time and summoned Inteleon, who immediately pinpointed the shooter’s location and sent a Snipe Shot his way. A pained yell was heard in the treetops and Gloria ran towards the noise, her Pokemon on her heels. She heard Bede’s yells for her to slow down but ignored him as she pumped her legs faster. _Someone just tried to fucking kill me!_

When she reached the source of the noise, she saw a man struggling to get up. He noticed her and pointed his gun at her again but Inteleon destroyed it with a Sucker Punch. Zamazenta slammed a Behemoth Bash into another grunt, shattering his ribs. More grunts rushed at her again with Pokemon this time. Steel clanged against steel as Bisharp cut its blade across Zamazenta, Inteleon providing quick cover to save his teammate. Gloria punched a grunt in the face, hissing at the pain in her knuckles, then gasped when one of them landed a kick on her left knee. _You fucking—_ She grabbed his head and smashed her right knee into his face. He staggered back and fell over, out cold.

She felt a tingle at the back of her head and turned around just in time to see a woman swipe her Wishing Stars pouch and a special dusk ball. Her eyes widened. _No, not Eternatus!_ “STOP!” She ran after the woman but the pain in her left knee overwhelmed her and she fell over in the snow, getting a kick to her head. She heard Zamazenta’s muted roar as he leapt over her body to protect her. She lifted her shaking hand uselessly before blacking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to say a quick thanks to all those who read and don't comment :))) I appreciate you all just as much <3


	4. First Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: blood, violence, bound/gagged character

Gloria ran, her breathing echoing heavily off the walls of the mine, her heart hammering. She did not know from what she was running from, but even thinking about it caused a great terror to fill the crevices of her mind and spur her to pump her legs harder. She heard a whir, then a screech that made the hair on the back of her neck rise. She ran even faster, her legs burning from the exertion. Her eyes widened when she saw a dead end up ahead, dread filling her.

“Nonononono!” She pushed against the wall, then turned around, her back pressed up against it.

_YOU HAVE FAILED ME._

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to—I wasn’t able to—”

_YOU PROMISED TO KEEP ME SAFE._

Tears filled her eyes as the screeching sounded again, getting close. She could see a dim pink light in the distance, which caused the gems on the walls to glitter prettily. “I won’t let them hurt you!” she yelled.

_TOO LATE._

She gasped when Eternatus appeared in front of her, its core buzzing loudly. The light of its orb flooded her vision and caused her to squint as she attempted to focus on the being in front of her.

“Eternatus, please… forgive me,” she whispered desperately, falling to her knees. Its limbs twisted around her, cutting off any escape routes. Her body shook with horror at the futility of her situation.

_I WILL NEVER BE FOOLED BY HUMANS AGAIN._

It put its face up close to hers and she found she was unable to look away as its maw opened and swallowed her whole.

Gloria jolted awake, her eyes unfocused. She leaned her head back and swallowed heavily, flitting her eyes around a dark room. _Where… where am I?_ She tried to move her body but found her wrists and ankles were belted to the chair she was seated on. _What the hell is going on here?_ Her head throbbed in pain and her knuckles smarted from her earlier bout. She moved her jaw around the gag in her mouth, trying to control her panicked breathing as the reality started to set in.

 _They kidnapped me… and they stole Eternatus with all the Wishing Stars. Are Hop and Bede okay?_ Her eyes widened and she shifted her weight around, moving the chair back and forth. _My Pokemon! My belt is missing! Shit!_ She stopped moving and tilted her head forward, hair falling loosely in front of her. _Fuuuuuck my head HURTS!_

She shut her eyes and forced herself to breathe slowly. _Okay, calm down. I need to focus if I want to get out of here. I’m probably in some kind of secret base, proooobably held captive by… whoever those people are._ She frowned, then tugged her wrists against her restraints. _Who are they, anyway? And was that attack against Hop just a way for them to get to me?_ She opened her eyes and sagged slightly. _Arceus, I hope Marnie is okay… I have to get out of here!_

The champion looked around, hoping to find some way to escape. The room was completely dark, but she could see a sliver of light from underneath what she assumed was a door. A shadow crawled along the sliver, indicating someone was on the other side. She held her breath in anticipation as the knob slowly turned and the door creaked open.

A man and a woman entered, both dressed similarly to the people that had attacked her. The man had spiked red hair and the woman had long fuchsia hair, both wearing matching black turtlenecks with an orange ‘C’ on the front and black slacks held up by a silver belt. They also wore matching orange bandanas around their necks.

Gloria’s insults were muffled against her gag but the intent was clear as day. She squinted in protest at the light, her pupils sharpening to a point, and the two in front of her laughed mockingly.

“Looks like our Champ’s all roughed up.” The man sneered at her in obvious distaste. The woman scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“If ya ask me, she’s pro’bly enjoyin’ it, all tied up like tha’. She seems the type.” Her mouth twisted up into a lecherous grin. “Ain’t that righ’, Champ?”

Gloria heard the unmistakeable Spikemuth accent in the woman’s words, and it immediately struck her how much she missed Marnie. _This fuckin’…_ She struggled against her restraints and the woman marched up to her and backhanded her harshly. Her cheek stung from the blow and her eyes welled with tears at the pain. She shuddered and clenched her fists around the armrests of her chair.

The woman chuckled condescendingly. “Useless! Ya can’t get outta these, trus’ me. Kyle, get your ass over here an’ tighten ‘em up, jus’ in case.” She leaned forward and gripped the brunette’s chin in her hands, forcing their eyes to meet. “We’re gonna have lots o’ fun with you, _Champion_.”

Gloria narrowed her eyes at the woman’s sharp glare, then flitted down to where Kyle was adjusting her bindings. She saw sweat drip down the side of his head, his hands shaking uncontrollably, and raised an eyebrow. _Is he… scared of me?_ She rocked her chair experimentally and he jolted back, gasping. She nearly laughed but was hit by another backhand, this time facing the other side. She turned her head forward in defiance and glared up at her captor.

“D-Dalia, I’m sorry, she just—”

“Get the fuck outta here!” she screamed. “I’ll take care o’ this, _alone_.”

Kyle scrambled off the ground and quickly left the room, leaving the two women alone. Dalia went over to the door and switched the light on before shutting it. An old incandescent lightbulb flickered to life above Gloria’s head, dimly lighting the brick-walled room. Dalia reached forward and pulled the gag from Gloria’s mouth, tossing it over her shoulder.

“I wanna hear your pretty voice when I make ya scream,” she explained, her grin widening. Gloria pursed her lips then spat at her. Dalia’s face contorted in rage and she reached forward to plant the bottom of her boot against Gloria’s chest, sending her back. The brunette’s breath was knocked out of her lungs and she felt dizzy as her head slammed against the concrete floor below her.

Above her, Dalia crouched near her head and pushed a few brown strands away from her eyes. “Poor thing. All confused an’ scared. Pro’bly wonderin’ why we’re doin’ this. If ya ask Kyle, he says he wants ta bring back Dynamaxin’. If ya ask me, I’m all for stirrin’ shit up, jus’ ‘cause. Too bad Marnie wasn’t there, woulda loved to bring ‘er along, too.”

“Keep her out of this you bitch,” Gloria bit out. She tried not to think about Marnie’s reaction to hearing she’d been captured and focused on the anger building in her chest. “What do you want from me?”

“ _I_ don’ want anythin’ from ya. My bosses, well, they’re stoked to meet ya.” She sighed, cupping her cheek. “Well, I do want _one_ thing from ya…” She leaned forward, lining up her face to kiss Gloria, and the champion spit in her face again.

Dalia leaned back and narrowed her eyes, wiping the spit from her face. She stood and pressed the sole of her boot against Gloria’s cheek. “Stay down here, ya pathetic cunt. I’ll leave ya alone for now, but I’ll be back.” She stepped away and went to leave, opening the door and shutting the light off.

“Wait!” Dalia stopped at the door, back to the overturned brunette. “If you don’t care about Dynamaxing, why are you helping them? And your accent… you’re from Spikemuth, aren’t you?”

“I was part o’ Team Yell, back in th’ day, ‘til Marnie disbanded us… an’ that’s all you’re gettin’ from me. Least ‘til next time.” She exited, clicking the door shut behind her and shrouding Gloria in darkness once more.

-x-

“What do ya fuckin’ _mean_ ya weren’ close enough?”

“Marnie, with all due respect, you weren’t there. She had taken off and refused to wait for us to rejoin her. I was worried about Hop dying from hypothermia and had no idea what was happening—”

“Ya shoulda still wen’ after ‘er righ’ away! Hop had Cinderace _and_ Zacian, he was _fine_!”

“I know you’re worried about her but you have to know we tried our best—”

“It ain’t good enough!” She raised her voice, startling the two men in front of her, then quieted. “She’s gone. An’ I wasn’ there to protect her. I-I wasn’t—” She cut herself off with a hand to her mouth, a sob clawing up her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut to prevent herself from breaking out into uncontrollable tears. Hop put an arm around her shoulders and tugged her towards him, rubbing her back with his other hand. Bede crossed his arms and sighed.

The trio were in Marnie’s flat in Spikemuth. They had flown there after getting Hop checked out at the Pokemon centre to deliver the news of Gloria’s disappearance. Hop was beside himself with anger; he was angry at the perpetrators for capturing his best mate, and he was angry at himself for letting it happen right under his nose. _I should have known they were after her… stupid!_

He and Bede had rushed as soon as they heard the first gunshot but were swarmed by mysterious figures with Pokemon. By the time they had reached Gloria’s last known location, all that remained was her Pokemon belt and Zamazenta and Inteleon knocked unconscious near it. _At least we have them in our hands… but Gloria’s all alone over there. What do they want from her? Do they have Eternatus as well?_

“Let’s go to the lab. Sonia says she has an idea on how we can track Gloria.” Hop squeezed Marnie’s shoulder and nodded at Bede, who pulled his phone up to order a Corviknight Taxi. The trio exited the flat and made their way to the city exit.

“How’s Piers, by the way?” Hop asked. Marnie shook her head and played with her jacket sleeves.

“Passed out in ‘is room.” She offered nothing else so Hop didn’t push it. In retrospect, it was probably the wrong thing to ask as she had initially not been able to respond to Gloria’s calls because she was busy. They reached the outskirts of the city, Taxi waiting for them, and Bede helped Marnie in first. He looked back at Hop as he summoned his Corviknight.

“No way am I gonna ride these things, at least for a while,” Hop joked, rubbing his arm. Bede nodded, face serious, and pecked his lips.

“Of course.” He climbed in beside Marnie and leaned out the window. “You’ll fly next to us, yes?”

“Yup!” Bede rapped his knuckles against the ceiling of the cab and the pilot took off, Hop following close behind. The Ballonlea Gym Leader turned to his stoic colleague.

“Marnie, I—”

“I don’ wanna talk ‘bout it,” Marnie interrupted, shrinking into the corner of the cab. “Please.”

Bede sighed and leaned back, turning his head to look out at Hop as he flew beside them. The man looked over at him and grinned brightly, giving a thumbs up, and Bede couldn’t help but smile. _At least there was one happy ending in all this…_ He turned his head to look back at Marnie, who was staring at her phone intently. _I just hope they all turn out to be happy endings._

Marnie felt bad about pushing Bede away, but she didn’t think she had it in her to express her emotions without completely falling apart. Of all the topics that got to her, Gloria was a particularly sensitive one that could render her totally helpless. And now, she was gone, in some unknown foe’s hands, hurt, or worse…

 _No! I can’t think about it like that. She’ll be fine. We’ll save her, I know it._ She pulled her phone up to distract herself from her thoughts but immediately gravitated to her chat with the brunette. It was a habit she had when she was missing her, particularly when they had been apart for long periods of time. Gloria had always been expressive in her texts, and it was like she could hear her voice through the screen.

She scrolled up her chat and smiled slightly at the one she found.

_Gloria: Ugh Gordie wants me to let him Dynamax for our exhibition match_

_Gloria: Can u believe this tosser_

_Gloria: What an asshole_ 😒

_Marnie: Well, he definitely needs it up against you._

_Gloria: Damn right he does!_

_Gloria: Btw are u free rn? I’m thinking BYU and chill_ 😊

_Marnie: Depends._

_Gloria: ?_

_Gloria: Depends on what_

_Marnie: What you mean by “chill”_

_Gloria: oh u DEF know what I mean by “chill”_ 😉😉😉

 _Marnie:_ 🥰

_Gloria: AKSAJKFHKAF DID U JUST USE AN EMOJI!!!!_

_Gloria: I LOVE YOU!!!_

_Gloria: also is that a yes or a no bc if no then I will order BYU for myself_

_Gloria: alone_

_Gloria: in my lonely flat_

_Gloria:_ 😥

_Marnie: Yes_

_Gloria: GREAT im at ur door open up!!_

_Marnie: I love you too_

Marnie sniffed and pressed the call button.

_Calling Gloria…_

_…_

_…_

She hung up and clenched her jaw as she put her phone away and looked out the window. _I’m going to get you back, even if it kills me._ She wondered who could be responsible for such a crime and came to the uncomfortable conclusion that it could be related to the protests from today. _Would they really go that far? All these years and so far nothing, until now…_

The Taxi landed in front of the Wedgehurst lab and she and Bede exited the cab, heading straight for the front door. Hop opened it, hung his jacket on the coatrack beside the door. Inside, Sonia and Nessa were seated at a table, their grave expressions giving away their conversation.

Sonia turned her head to Hop as Nessa jumped up from her chair and made a beeline for Marnie, who shifted uncomfortably. “Marnie, babe, I’m so sorry to hear about Gloria! We’re doing everything we can to track her.”

“So I hear,” Marnie muttered, averting her eyes from Nessa’s sympathetic gaze. The Water expert cupped Marnie’s cheek, smiling reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find her. We have the brightest minds of Galar on the case.” The Dark expert looked into her blue eyes with her own shining turquoise ones. Nessa leaned forward and hugged her tightly. “Did you tell Piers?”

Marnie’s arms came up around her, gripping the back of her shirt. “He’s out cold. Drunk.” She remembered the last few words he slurred before collapsing in a heap, and hoped he was okay. _We need to have a serious talk… without alcohol. Maybe Nessa can talk some sense into him._

“Of course he is,” Nessa scoffed, pulling back. She brushed a lock of dark hair back, staring into Marnie’s eyes. “I’ll be sure to bitch at him when we’re all done here.”

Sonia cleared her throat, smiling when the women turned to face her. “Let’s get down to business, yea? Hop, what do you think of my plans?”

“I think they’re brilliant!” he exclaimed. “Using our old PSDs to track the missing Wishing Stars? Great idea!”

Bede pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s if they’re still with her. How do we know tracking them will lead us to Gloria?”

“We don’t.” Sonia shrugged. “But it’s our only lead, so we have to try.”

“Sonia’s right,” Marnie said, walking forward. “I’ll turn over ev’ry damn rock in this country ‘til I find Gloria, whether it makes sense or not.”

“And we’re with you all the way,” Hop promised. “I can’t ever forgive them for this. And we also have to find out who these people are and what they’re up to.”

Bede nodded and put a hand to his hip. “We need to inform the other Gym Leaders and put out a notice for suspicious characters. It was too dark to see to be sure, but it looked like they were wearing black uniforms with an orange ‘C’ on the front.”

“They won’ be wearin’ their uniforms out in public.” Marnie reminded him.

“Obviously.” Bede rolled his eyes. “But should they happen to attack again, the others know what to expect.”

“I’ll take care of that, while you rescue Gloria. We need our Champ back.” The Gym Leaders looked at each other and nodded resolutely.

Sonia sighed. “Poor Gloria… I really hope she’s okay.”

“Me too—” Hop’s words were interrupted by the sounds of glass breaking and the five of them turned to see four hooded figures emerge through the windows above.

“Who’s there?!” An unfamiliar voice called out above them and they looked up to see a man dressed in a black uniform with an orange ‘C’ emblazoned on the front. He leaned over the railing to get a better view of them, then turned his head to look behind him. “We got company, hurry it up!”

He leapt over the railing and landed nimbly on his feet, straightening with a nasty grin. “Look who we have here. The Professor herself! And her lackies.”

Hop’s eyes narrowed and he stepped forward, summoning Zacian in her Crowned Sword Forme. “Who are you and why are you doing this?” he demanded furiously. Zacian growled over the sword in her mouth, face lowering threateningly.

The man seemed unperturbed. “Nice pup ya got there. Take a look at mine.” He threw a ball and summoned a Luxray, her body twisting as she met Zacian’s growl with her own. Electricity crackled along her fur as she readied to fight.

“I won’t ask another time: who are you and what do you want?!” Hop shouted, impatience taking over.

“We are Team Cosmos, and if you can beat me, then I’ll answer your other question. Luxray, Zap Cannon!”

“Zacian, Behemoth Blade!” The beast’s sword easily cut through the attack and slashed across the opponent’s Pokemon. The man grunted and ordered another attack. Zacian went forward to meet Luxray again when a Bubblebeam and a Razor Leaf came from above.

Nessa summoned her Drednaw and ordered a Protect attack around her and Sonia whilst Marnie and Bede summoned Toxicroak and Sylveon respectively.

Marnie turned to Nessa and frowned at her. “Get Sonia outta here!” When Nessa opened her mouth to protest, she scowled. “Now! Or do ya want ‘em to take ‘er, too?” The Gym Leader balked at that and grabbed her wife’s wrist and turned on her heel. Sonia tried to dig her heels in but Nessa was having none of it. They escaped from the front doors and Marnie followed them out to make sure they got away.

 _Looks like it’s only those four…_ She went back inside to see Bede battling Azumarill bravely while Toxicroak launched attacks without her command. She ran up beside him and they nodded at each other. “Toxicroak, Cross-Poison!” Her Pokemon delivered the attack, scoring a critical hit, and the Sunflora collapsed in a heap. Marnie looked around, noting one of them was missing. _Where’s the fourth?_

“Cover me! I’m gonna look for the las’ one!” She trusted her friends to be able to handle the grunts. Toxicroak followed her up the stairs and she looked around desperately. A Flamethrower nearly singed her eyebrows off, and she looked up to see a man with a bandana around the lower part of his face, dressed in the Team Cosmos uniform.

By his side was a female Pyroar with another fire attack ready in her jaw. Toxicroak stepped forward with a Brick Break and knocked the attack away easily, though he whimpered slightly from the heat of the flame. He rushed forward with another Cross-Poison and knocked the Pokemon out the window. The grunt’s eyes widened and he looked over the railing to see his teammates back away from the young trainers. They ran over to the window and escaped, leaving him behind.

“Watch your back!” One of the female members yelled through the window. “We won’t stop until we return Dynamaxing to Galar, and to do that, we will wipe you out! Starting with your beloved Champion!”

Marnie’s eyebrows furrowed angrily as she marched up to the last member and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pushed him against the wall. She wound her arm back for a punch when he pulled his bandana down.

“W-wait! I’m not who you think I am!” The raven-haired woman squinted her eyes at the familiar face, lowering her fist. “I’m Looker! Remember?” Her eyes lit up in recognition and she dropped him. He sighed in relief and slid down the wall.

“Looker? What’re ya doin’ here?” she asked as she helped him back up.

“It’s not what you think, I promise you that.” He looked behind her to see the other two trainers and nodded at them. “Hop, good to see you. I am a huge fan of your work, as you know.”

Hop grinned sheepishly and put a hand to the back of his head. “Aw, thanks, Looker.” His expression became solemn again as he looked around. “What’s going on here? Who are these people and why are you involved with them?”

Looker sighed and leaned against a bookshelf. He looked out the window and recalled his Pyroar back to her ball. “I have been undercover for two years now, as we—the InterPol—have been suspicious of recent protest activity happening in the region.”

“Wait a minute,” Hop interrupted, frowning. “Are you talking about the protests against me and Gloria?”

The detective nodded. “Yes. At first, they seemed genuine, just your run of the mill disgruntled traditionalists, but they have become more organized and more focused. We received intel that was worrying—reports of thefts, money laundering, illegal weapons trading—and thus decided to infiltrate the group to learn more. They put on the image of being delocalized and passionate, but in reality there is a core group that organizes these rallies and performs the shadier operations.”

“Do they wanna actually bring back Dynamaxin’?” Marnie asked softly, brows furrowing in thought.

Looker closed his eyes and sighed. “Yes. But it’s more than that…” He paused, then opened his eyes, looking at the group directly. “Rose is back.”

Hop sputtered incoherently, Bede sighed in irritation and Marnie exhaled through her nose. “W-what?! I know he escaped prison, but how is he able to run this without us knowing?”

“Because he has help.” The detective leaned off the bookshelf and paced. “I have not been able to determine the identity of this person, but they are the one pulling all the strings. Their strategy and tactics with Rose’s resources—he had liquidated his assets in the months leading up to the Darkest Day and stored them away—have been put together to create this new threat. I am willing to wager Rose has also been providing them with the information needed to perform these maneuvers flawlessly.”

“Wait—” Marnie said, panic rising. “They kidnapped Gloria an’ stole her Wishin’ Stars an’ Eternatus. Do ya know anythin’ ‘bout tha’?”

Looker stopped pacing and his eyes widened as he paled. “Damn. I didn’t know they were planning on attacking you directly. They must be ready to move further in their plans than I had been led to believe… this is not good at all. I’m sorry, but I do not know what their ultimate goals are aside from their general feelings toward Dynamaxing.”

“Fuck,” Hop mumbled.

The detective nodded. “Agreed.” He turned to the window and put one foot on the frame. He turned to look at the young adults. “I must go, please do not contact me unless it is urgent. I will continue to provide information as I can but know that this will be sparse to avoid blowing my cover.” He sighed. “And I will attempt to locate the champion, but I cannot make any promises. Please understand.”

“No worries. Thank you, Looker.”

“Good luck.” He leapt out of the window and ran into the bush, disappearing from their view.

Marnie sighed heavily and leaned against the railing, her back to her friends. She pushed her hands into her hair, staring at the shards on the floor below. _Gloria… where are you?_ A hand dropped on her shoulder and turned her around gently. She met Hop’s warm gaze and smiled slightly at his upturned lips.

“Oi, we’re in this together, yea?” He squeezed her shoulder.

“Yea.”

A beeping noise interrupted them and they looked over the railing to see Sonia’s PSD monitor flashing red. Hop gasped and ran to it, scanning through the data on the screen. He turned to Bede and Marnie, determination in his eyes.

“We found them. Their base is under South Lake Miloch.”


	5. Puppet Master

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: torture, blood (marked by -xOx- linebreak)
> 
> Thank you all for reading & leaving comments. I've been busy IRL so I haven't had the time to reply to everyone, but you are all very much appreciated! Also, BIG reveal this chapter!! :)))

Zacian and Zamazenta raced across the plains of the Wild Area, coming up from the Rolling Fields and around the Giant’s Seat. The moon was full that night, its light illuminating the path for the Pokemon. Bede and Hop rode on Zacian while Marnie was perched atop Zamazenta. She buried her fingers in the beast’s fur, seeking comfort from her closest link to Gloria. Soon, their huffing quieted as they approached the bank of South Lake Miloch, slowing down at Hop’s command. He looked at his phone intensely, matching the GPS coordinates with their current position.

Thanks to Sonia, they were able to track the Wishing Stars that had been stolen from Gloria using her PSD network across Galar. Hopefully, this would also yield the location of Gloria and thus they could recover their champion, as well as Eternatus, and foil any destructive plans. He hopped off Zacian, Bede following him and Marnie jumping from Zamazenta. She thanked him quietly and he nudged against her head with his wet nose. “We’ll get ‘er back, I promise.”

Hop looked over at them fondly, then turned his head toward the lake, deep in thought.

“Hop?” Bede’s voice shook him thoughts and he raised his head to meet his worried gaze. Bede put a concerned hand on his shoulder and he smiled back at him.

“Sorry, was thinking about how we’re gonna get in there. Are we ready?” The other two nodded seriously and Hop recalled his Pokemon. The trio of them stood close to the lake’s edge, hearts hammering.

“Okay,” Hop started, taking a deep breath. “Our mission is to get in there and rescue Gloria. If we can, we try and get back Eternatus, with or without the Wishing Stars. That’s all that matters right now.”

“We should try an’ stick together, but if we hafta split up, I’ll go look for Gloria, okay? An’ don’ argue with me.” Marnie pressed her lips into a thin line and narrowed her eyes but Hop had his hands up in quiet surrender. Bede simply rolled his eyes.

“Try not to get captured, too, then,” he said.

Hop sighed and shook his head. He crouched down by the lake, his tired reflection peering up at him from the black surface.

“They appear to have some underwater security system that I should be able to disable, but I’ll need some time to hack in. Can’t get Sonia to help since we won’t have much reception down there,” he explained, taking out his Rotom phone and a magnetic chip. “Once we get down there, I’ll deactivate the lock mechanism on the gate, but the second we do, we have to get in there, _fast_. They’ll definitely be onto us the minute I disable their systems.”

“We’ll use my Fairy and Psychic types to keep us safe underwater, but we do have a time limit on how long we can keep it up.” Bede crossed his arms and stared down at his murky reflection in the water.

“They pro’bly have some kinda dry base in there, hidden pas’ th’ gate,” Marnie reflected. “Do we know ‘bout any patrols?”

Hop shrugged. “They probably have one guard poke his head around every hour. They seem very confident in their security systems.”

“They’re about to get a rude awakening,” Bede muttered, narrowing his eyes.

He summoned Gardevoir and Hatterene and the two fairies shielded the group as they dove under water. One focused on the bubble and the other pushed them forward with psychic power. The glow of the barrier around them provided a rudimentary source of light, but it was enough for them to see a few feet ahead of them. Soon, Marnie pointed ahead at a metal gate with a steel panel, a green light blinking on its surface.

Hatterne pushed them along and stopped their bubble before it made contact with the gate. Hop went ahead and placed his chip on the panel and connected to it with his phone. Marnie watched as lines of code flew down his phone screen, her eyes going cross at the speed.

“Arceus, Hop, where did ya learn all this?”

Hop grinned. “Jealous? I could teach ya, you know.”

“Not jealous, jus’ very impressed.” She tilted her head. “Is it done?”

He blinked and looked down and, sure enough, the words _BREACH SUCCESSFUL_ were glowing on his screen. “Huh, that was a bit easier than I thought.” He swallowed nervously. “Here goes nothing…”

He tapped a few commands on his phone and the metal gate slowly opened. The trainers looked at each other nervously but nothing came out, so Bede commanded Hatterene to push them in farther. As they advanced, they went up a tunnel that seemed to be climbing upward, with the water level decreasing. Soon, they reached a level part of the tunnel where a shoreline could be seen. Hatterene shoved their bubble up and onto land, then followed them.

Bede looked around in confusion. “How have we not been swarmed by opponents yet?”

“Don’ look a gift horse in th’ mouth, Bede,” Marnie replied, but she too was glancing around anxiously.

“Hm, maybe my algorithm was too fast to be detected by their protocols?” Hop suggested, scratching his beard. Marnie shrugged, then pointed at the maw of a cave leading further into the base.

“Let’s go in there, maybe we’ll find somethin’.” She went ahead without looking back and Bede heaved a sigh. His eyes met with Hop’s, who simply shook his head.

The three trainers trudged along carefully, Hop’s Rotom phone providing light as it floated ahead of them. Marnie looked back at her friends, then Bede specifically. She cleared her throat then turned back to face the front.

“Hmm… so…” she started, trailing off. “Rose is uh… back?”

Bede scoffed behind her and she could imagine him rolling his eyes. “You don’t have to walk on eggshells around me. I’m not _delicate_.”

She turned around and nervously tugged at her jacket sleeves. “Wasn’t sayin’ ya are! Jus’… I hope this isn’t hard for ya, bein’ here with us. We—you migh’ end up confrontin’ him, directly.”

The Fairy expert narrowed his eyes. “I am fully prepared to battle with him. I am not the same man I was when he decided I was disposable.” He softened slightly when Hop gripped his shoulder. “Besides, I know I can count on you two—and Gloria—to be there for me.”

Hop grinned. “Of course!” Marnie nodded and turned back around then stopped walking. Finally, they reached a fork in the road and stood at the intersection.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to split up just yet,” Hop said, frowning. Marnie nodded, surprising him.

“Agreed. We’re stronger together, but we need ta decide which way to go.” She paused, in thought, then Hop turned to her with a grin.

“How ‘bout some good ol’ Fire-Water-Grass?”

She tilted her head at him and Bede groaned, resigned to the fact that he was in love with an idiot. His ears perked as he heard voices, then pointed down one of the paths.

“Someone’s coming!” he hissed, eyes wide.

“Let’s hide in that path.”

The three trainers scrambled as silently as they could and peeked over the ledge as two disgruntled grunts walked ahead, passing where they had been standing.

“Ugh, do we seriously have to check out this stupid alarm? It was probably fuckin’ Kyle and his Sharpedo again messing with the panels.”

“Fuckin’ Kyle.”

“I know, right? Dude thinks he’s the shit because he led that attack on that professor what’s-his-name. Never mind that he didn’t even kill the asshole…”

“But he did help with getting the Champ, and Eternatus, which boss appreciated.”

“Heh, true, I guess… but that was all Dalia, y’know, she’s the one that got ‘em.” Suddenly, they stopped, feeling a chill down their spines. “Hey, do you feel—” The two grunts collapsed to the floor, unconscious, as Bede stood behind them breathing heavily. By his side was Mawile, whose glow from her Iron Head faded as she relaxed. Behind him, Hop watched with his jaw dropped. Marnie walked up to him and tsk’ed in annoyance.

“I wanted ta do tha’,” she complained, crossing her arms.

“Uh, Bede…” Hop gulped when his lover’s angry gaze met his. “What… what are we gonna do with their bodies?”

Bede straightened and combed his hair back. “Personally, I was thinking of tossing them into the depths of the lake. Why?”

“I don’t think that’s a great idea!” he squeaked. The Ballonlea Gym Leader sighed and crossed his arms. Marnie crouched by the two grunts.

“We’ll jus’ hide ‘em in a corner. We need to keep movin’. Bede, come help me.” She grunted as she hefted one of the criminals. Bede moved to carry the other one off to the side. Hop helped Marnie and they dropped them such that they were leaning against each other. The group went down the path the two had emerged from, confident it would lead them to the base.

They arrived at a steel door with another lock panel. Hop hummed in thought, then glanced up at the metal grating just above the door. He sighed and tapped his foot, hands on his hips. Marnie raised an eyebrow at his posture.

“Hop, what are ya thinkin’?”

“Well, seeing as how our first attempt at hacking was detected, I think it would be a little reckless to try it again.” He thumbed up at the vent entrance. “So one of us should go in through there and unlock it from the inside.”

“I’ll do it.” There was no hesitation in Marnie’s voice.

Hop blinked. “Are you sure—”

“Yes.” She went to the space under the vent. “Gimme a boost, yea?”

He passed her his multitool and put a hand for her to step on, Bede on her other side. The men grunted as they lifted her up; she worked quickly to disassemble the grating and crawled inside on her stomach. She saw light peeking from up ahead and approached the source. Looking below, she saw what appeared to be the middle of a hallway. She undid the bolts on the grating and poked her head out slightly to survey the surroundings. When all was clear, she nimbly descended from her perch and looked around, breath quickening.

_Gloria, I’m coming to get you. Hold on._

-xOx-

Gloria grunted as a boot buried itself in her gut, breathing heavily. Blood and drool leaked out of the gag around her lips. Her teeth clenched tightly around it as the abuser pulled their heel back and instead slammed it against her shin. Tears built in her eyes but she refused to let them fall, instead sharpening her glare as she lifted her bloodied head up.

Dalia smirked and tapped the baton in hand in one palm. “You’re so cute when ya squirm in pain.” She pouted. “An’ tha’ gag looks so good on ya,” she breathed, shuddering. “It’s too bad Marnie won’ get ta see us play… though my plans for ‘er are much more delicious compared to what’ll happen to ya.”

Gloria exhaled heavily through her nose and rocked in her chair angrily. She stopped when the baton was raised, flinching slightly. This only widened Dalia’s smirk. She stepped forward menacingly and tilted the champion’s chin up. “Soon, you’ll be dead, but firs’, I’ll have my fun with ya.” She put a hand on the gag and raised an eyebrow. “I’m gonna take th’ gag off, but if ya spit on me, I’ll split your knuckles, got it?”

Gloria nodded once, slowly, then Dalia removed the gag. “You’re a fucking bitch and once I’m free I will kill you. You won’t even get to _see_ Marnie you disgusting piece of shit,” Gloria spat, ending her speech with generous blob of saliva on Dalia’s face. Her face darkened immediately.

“Well, that wasn’ very nice o’ ya,” she commented. She brought the baton up and rapped it once against Gloria’s fingers, smiling when the brunette cried out in pain. She continued until both sets of Gloria’s knuckles were bloody and bruised and leaned back to examine her handiwork. Gloria bit down on her lip to keep from screaming.

“You’re so much prettier in red, Marnie ever tell ya tha’?”

“What do you want with her?” Gloria gasped, leaning forward.

Dalia hummed in thought. “I guess ya coul’ say I loved ‘er, but mos’ people would call it an obsession. Unhealthy infatuation, idolization…” she sighed. “Team Yell was perfect. I could scream ‘bout ‘ow I wanted ‘er ta whip me an’ those dolts woul’ agree. We’d riot an’ fuck with anyone who got in ‘er way. It was bliss, ‘til she ended it. Well, Piers, but ‘er mostly. Said we were bein’ too rowdy, givin’ Spikemuth a bad name. So some of us split off, ‘cause the majority stopped the riots. When I heard ‘bout Team Cosmos, I jumped to get in, y’know?” Her grin dropped to a frown. “When she fell in love with ya she changed, an’ I hate that.”

“Team Cosmos…” Gloria repeated, focusing her thoughts. _Why does that name sound familiar?_ “Who… who is in charge ‘round here? You?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She sneered, lips pulling up in disgust. Before she could say anything else, her pager beeped and she looked down. She pulled it off and examined it, raising an eyebrow. She went to the door and opened it, then poked her head out. She looked both ways then narrowed her eyes as two grunts crossed her vision.

“Oi! I got an alert tha’ the entrance’s been breached. Check it out, will ya?” She slammed the door back shut, not waiting for the confirmation.

Gloria kept her eyes low as her thoughts shot off into every direction. _Are they here? Marnie, Bede and Hop… did they come for me?_

“I wouldn’ get your hopes up, Champ. We get alerts all the time, usually Kyle messin’ with ‘is Sharpedo. Doubt it’s anythin’ important.” She sighed and looked at her watch. “Well, my time’s up. Gotta do some Admin stuff, y’know. Maybe the boss’ll pay ya a visit next, who knows?” She licked her lips as she looked down at the shuddering trainer. “Next time, we’ll do somethin’ a little more… fun.”

“Fuck you,” Gloria muttered, eyes sliding shut.

“In due time, Champion.” The brunette heard the door click and sighed in relief. She had left the light on, likely by accident, but it soothed her. Sitting in the dark for long periods of time did dangerous things to her psyche. She breathed slowly, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. She didn’t know how long it’d been when a familiar sensation stirred in the back of her skull. She felt a strange pulling feeling behind her eyes and she snapped them open suddenly.

 _Zamazenta… he’s here! Which means…_ “MARNIE!” She screamed, rocking her chair again. “HOP! BEDE!” I’M IN HERE!” She tried to move her chair with her body forward, closer to the door, then fell over on her side. She clenched her jaw and tried to hold her sobs as tears streamed down her face. Before she could prepare another shout, the door slammed open and her heart leapt to her throat.

It wasn’t often that Gloria got to appreciate the range of emotions that flitted across Marnie’s face. First was hope, then relief, then shock, anguish, finally settling on heartbreak. It showed in her eyes as she took her in, it showed in her arms as she tensed, in her mouth as she opened it in silence. The brunette smiled shakily, her vision slightly obscured by the hair that fell across her eyes.

“Gloria,” Marnie breathed, eyes wide. “W-what—” She scrambled forward on her knees to undo the restraints. She set the chair upright first then undid the ankle belts, followed by the wrist bindings. The second the bindings were undone, Gloria surged forward and pressed her lips to Marnie, arms coming around her shoulders. The Spikemuth Gym Leader met her halfway, one arm going around her waist to steady her on her feet and the other cupping her cheek. Gloria couldn’t hold back a small moan as she felt a small tingle up her spine, and feelings of security and happiness bubbled in her stomach.

Marnie could taste the blood the second their lips met, and it almost made her recoil back, but she knew Gloria needed the reassurance so she stayed. _She’s alive… thank Arceus!_ She moved both of her arms to circle her lover’s waist and pressed her tighter against her body.

When they finally broke apart for air, Gloria shut her eyes and leaned her forehead against Marnie’s suddenly feeling exhaustion settle into her bones. “You came…”

“’Course I did,” Marnie whispered, feeling a sudden flash of déjà vu. “I’ll always be there for you…”

The champion sniffled. “I was honestly so terrified that I wouldn’t get to see you again.” Her voice trembled as she spoke, which made Marnie grip her tighter. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed ya, too. So, so much.” Marnie pulled back to glance at Gloria’s injuries. “Who did this to ya?”

“I’ll explain everything once we get outta here. I need some fresh air.” The back of her head tingled again and she gripped the lapels of Marnie’s leather jacket. “Zamazenta… did you bring my Pokemon?”

The raven-haired woman nodded and produced the belt from her bag. Gloria gripped it reverently and tied it around her waist, feeling more confident. “I felt like a chunk was missing from my soul. And I felt you coming, like an instinct.”

Marnie smiled and pushed a lock of brown hair behind Gloria’s ear. “We need to regroup with Hop an’ Bede. They’re waitin’ for me ta open th’ door for ‘em. We’ll look for Eternatus together.”

A few hallways away, Hop paced in front of the main door, nerves nearly frayed with worry. “Ugh, I shouldn’t have let her go in! I should have known she would just go straight to Gloria. Stupid!”

“Relax, Hop.” Bede sighed. “She’ll come back. Can you really blame her for prioritizing her girlfriend over us?”

Hop stopped pacing but tapped his foot. “I guess not. I would do the same for you.” He looked at the steel door impatiently. “But I’d stay on the mission soon as I could!” At his words, the door slammed open, and Marnie raised an eyebrow. Behind her, Gloria poked her head out and waved shyly, grinning.

“What were ya sayin’ ‘bout stayin’ on the mission?”

“GLORIA!” Hop yelled, ignoring Marnie’s question and rushing to his friend. “You’re okay! Thank Arceus. I was so worried that… well, never mind! What happened to you?”

“Long story, I’ll fill ya in when we’re outta here. Let’s go rescue Eternatus, yea?” She exchanged a silent nod with Bede, warmth filling her at the obvious relief in his eyes at seeing her safe. She gripped Marnie’s hand tightly and grinned at her friends.

-x-

“Ya know, I knew in the back of my head that this was a bad idea, but I didn’t realize it would be this bad!” Gloria shouted, dodging an Electro Ball attack from a Manectric. Ninetails growled and spat out a Flamethrower to counter, singing the Electric Pokemon’s fur. They had managed to fight their way farther into the lair, coming upon a general meeting room with plenty of space for largescale battling.

Hop somersaulted away from a Hydro Pump and leapt such that his back was against his rival’s, laughing nervously. “Well, every adventure has its little bumps…”

“Understatement of the fuckin’ century,” Marnie muttered, ducking from a Crunch and commanding a Brick Break from Toxicroak. Her eyes were focused on any threats to Gloria, and so she missed seeing a Bewear’s paw light up with an attack. Bede noticed though, and commanded a powerful Hurricane from Whimsicott, pushing the Bewear away. The Spikemuth Gym Leader’s eyes widened and she thanked Bede quietly.

“Have you managed to access their base plans yet, Hop?” Bede asked impatiently as he stumbled near him.

“No, seems like the firewall on those is way stronger than the gate, funnily enough. You’d think it was the—watch out!” Hop pushed Bede and took a Rock Slide to his body, curling to protect his head. Bede gasped and turned angrily to the offender once he had Hop steady on his feet. Gloria rushed to cover them with Ninetails, Marnie close behind. Around them, grunts slowly retreated into the shadows, watching.

In front of them was a man they had not seen before. He stood tall, arrogant and menacing. He wore a sharp black suit with a deep v-neck, showing his red turtleneck underneath. He had a receding hairline and short black hair. His eyes seemed to contain no iris, the blackness matching that of his pupils. To his left, a Nidoking stood glaring at them, growling under his breath. To his right, was—

“Rose,” Gloria breathed, hands trembling. She could feel the last six years of suppressed emotion coming up violently in her gut, churning into something despicable. Behind her, Hop barely repressed a surprised gasp. Marnie put a hand to her shoulder and squeezed while Bede tightened his hold on the associate professor.

“Hello, Gloria. Seems our Admin entertained herself in our absence. A shame I wasn’t able to see it for myself. It’s… _nice_ to see you again. Oh, should I call you Champion? Congratulations, by the way.” Rose laughed, his voice accentuated by his slow clap. “Even I believed Leon to be undefeatable, but I should have known better.”

“You should be in _prison_ ,” she growled, eyes narrowing at the man in the middle. The mystery opponent stayed silent, watching their interaction with interest.

“I should, it’s true,” Rose sighed, combing his hair back. “But my acquaintance here had other plans for me… other plans for Galar. Plans that don’t involve _you_ or your pesky little team!”

“Now, now, Rose,” the man finally said, his voice deep and oddly soothing, “is that any way to speak to an old friend? I do believe we are owed an introduction…”

“Ah yes, where are my manners? Gloria, this is Giovanni, my partner-in-crime. Giovanni, this is Gloria, Champion of Galar and the wretch who disrupted my plan to save Galar six years ago.”

“You were going to _destroy_ Galar,” she reminded him, stepping forward menacingly. “Don’t think for a second I still don’t believe that! You’re going to give me back Eternatus, or else!”

“Or else, what, exactly?” Giovanni asked, spreading his arms out. “Do you not see that your efforts are futile? I have you completely surrounded. You have no hope of escaping from here.”

She looked over at Hop, who nodded, and they both pulled out a pokeball. When they summoned the legendary beasts, Rose gasped quietly. Zamazenta looked back at Gloria and nodded once their eyes met. Gloria smiled at her Pokemon, glad they were united once more.

“So, it is true… you have tamed the Heroes!”

“It matters not,” Giovanni interrupted, hand going into his pocket while the other held a dusk ball. Gloria’s eyes zoomed in on it immediately and she clenched her jaw.

“Give me back my Pokemon!” she yelled. Zamazenta growled and launched a Steel Beam attack in front of the two men, causing an explosion and knocking out Nidoking immediately. Rose leapt back and summoned Steelix, meeting Hop in the middle for a battle. Giovanni faced Gloria and smirked, summoning Eternatus. Before Hop could call out a command, Bede stepped in front of him, arm stretched out.

“Leave him to me.” Hop opened his mouth to protest but Bede glared at him over his shoulder. “He’s mine!” he growled, then commanded Whimsicott to attack with Energy Ball. The Steelix stumbled back from the attack but roared out in anger.

Hop sighed but turned Zacian’s attention over to an incoming onslaught from a Manectric and Bewear. “Sacred Sword!” Marnie ordered Toxicroak to cover the Legendary with a Poison Jab.

When Bede was assured of Hop’s safety, he turned back to Rose with a scowl. “And so you have managed to break free from your deserved punishment… why am I not surprised?”

Rose laughed. “Oh, Bede… you are still so young. It truly pains me to see you like this.” He threw his arm out. “Steelix, Iron Tail!” The large Pokemon brought its glowing tail up and slammed down, but Whimsicott was too agile for the beast. He leapt onto the Pokemon’s body and climbed up to his head, taunting him. Rose’s ears perked and he turned his head away, staring at Giovanni and Gloria as they spoke.

This only stoked Bede’s anger further. “And even now, you look down on me… have you learned anything?” He clenched his fists and sharpened his glare. “You, who raised me as your own… who took me in when I had nothing… was everything a lie? Did you ever love me?”

Rose turned back around, his face going solemn. He sighed and shook his head. “Bede, oh Bede, you do know that it was Oleana who asked you to collect the Wishing Stars for me, yes? All your life I kept you clothed and safe, healthy and fed, never asking for anything in return but your loyalty and obedience—”

“WHICH I GAVE YOU!” Bede shouted, tears building in his eyes. “I had nothing but undying loyalty for you, up until you decided I was no longer worthy! Up until I became too _inconvenient_ for you!” He rubbed his eyes angrily. “Whimsicott, Solar Beam!”

Rose’s eyes widened. “When did you—” He blocked his eyes with his arms as the move flashed between the two trainers. Steelix fell over, prompting tremors to shake the ground beneath them. Bede stumbled then looked over to see a Dynamax Cannon blast a hole in the wall. He recalled Whimsicott just as Hop quickly scooped up him on Zacian’s back. The last thing he saw was Rose’s head turned away and his eyes closed as though in agony.

_Meanwhile, at the same time…_

Eternatus looked down at Gloria, and she could feel the despair claw its way into her brain, but she forced herself to focus when Zamazenta looked back and met her eyes with a confident gaze. _He trusts me… I can’t let him down!_ She ordered a Behemoth Bash from Zamazenta and he obeyed quickly, pushing the legendary back against the cave wall. Giovanni sneered and commanded a Dynamax Cannon, which Zamazenta reflected against the opposite side of the cave. The room began to tremble as the walls slowly started to crumble.

“Who are you?” Gloria demanded. “What do you want with Eternatus? Do you really want to bring back Dynamaxing?” The brunette dodged a swipe from one of Eternatus’ limbs, and when she looked up at it, she couldn’t help but notice how its core stuttered and occasionally shone a faint purple light instead of its usual pink. _Something is… not right._

“As Rose said, I am Giovanni, though I may not be familiar to you here…” he answered cryptically, moving around the field to avoid Eternatus’ rampaging. “As for what I want, well…” He laughed, the sound sending chills down her spine. “Rose believes I intend to bring back his beloved Dynamaxing that you are so desperate to end. I do not care for your cultures and traditions. What I want, is power. Uncorrupted, pure, unlimited _power_!” A Dynamax Cannon shot out again, heading straight for Hop and Marnie, and Gloria commanded Zamazenta to defend them, leaving herself wide open.

Giovanni rushed to her and threw his fist out for a punch, which she barely dodged. His foot came out and tripped her and she fell back on her palms, looking up at him fearfully. He towered over her, one hand in his pocket, the other gesturing around him. Eternatus loomed behind him menacingly and screeched, its core flickering between pink and purple.

“I will end this pathetic little reign of yours, Champion, and then I will enslave this miserable region using the power you are so afraid of wielding.”

“What did you do to Eternatus?” she breathed, eyes shifting between him and her former Pokemon. He laughed again, piercing and loud.

“Ah, so you noticed. I see you are truly deserving of the title of Champion. I once knew a trainer like you… so bold, so strong… he nearly ruined me.” He paused, as though the memories pained him. He looked up at the legendary and smirked. “I have tampered with the legendaries before, and I have developed ways of controlling them, bending them to my will. Of course, this closes their hearts, along with any memories they previously held.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief. “What—what do you mean?”

His smirk widened. “Why does that matter to you, Champion? I doubt you will live to understand…” He flicked his wrist as he turned around, and Eternatus’ core whirred with another Dynamax Cannon. The light flooded Gloria’s vision and she shut her eyes as it overwhelmed her. She heard a _clang_ , then another explosion, then opened her eyes to see the beam had been reflected by Zamazenta again and caused an opening in the wall where it had been weakened from the battle.

On his back was Marnie, who put her hand out which she took gratefully. The raven-haired woman hoisted her up and behind her and Gloria wrapped her arms around her waist as Zamazenta led them through the crumbling cave and out the opening in the wall.

They exited out into the Wild Area, in the Giant’s Seat. Gloria looked back and saw they had been in the rock formation jutting out of the middle of the area. Just then, Zacian also appeared with Hop and Bede atop her back, and she followed them as they landed on the ground and escaped the scene. Gloria could not take her eyes off the pink glow emanating from the opening, feeling like she’d just lost everything.

-x-

Rose recalled Steelix and quickly rushed to the hole in the wall where Giovanni stood with Eternatus, watching the trainers retreat. Behind him, the cave began to collapse, but his partner seemed unphased.

“Giovanni,” Rose began, swallowing nervously, “we should leave.”

The man breathed out a long sigh, then mounted Eternatus as Rose followed him. The Pokemon flew outside and the former Chairman looked back to see the opening finally cave in. He looked forward again at the now silent man, wondering what he was thinking. He raised his eyes to the moon and closed them, suddenly tired.

 _If what he said is true… then I am the biggest fool in all of Galar. And Bede…_ He sighed and shook his head. _What would Oleana think of me, of what I’ve become?_ He looked back up at Giovanni. _I’ve followed him for years, hoping that he would help me restore this region to what it was. I ignored the obvious signs of a power-hungry monster, just to appease my innermost desires. Who am I? What do I deserve, after all is said and done? Will I ever be forgiven for this?_

_I have to end this no matter what._


	6. Desperate Times

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next couple of chapters will slow the pace down before we rev the engine allll the way back up! Enjoy the calm before the storm :)))

Marnie peeked around the doorframe of Gloria’s childhood bedroom in Postwick. Stella sat at Gloria’s side, stroking the sleeping Champion’s hair, tear occasionally falling onto the sheets below. Postwick had been closer than Spikemuth so Marnie opted to bring her lover back to her mum to care for her. Stella had been nearly hysterical at the sight of Gloria’s wounds, immediately taking her and getting to work on patching her up.

Marnie had tried to help, but Stella had entered momma Ursaring mode and refused any hands but her own. So she resigned herself to staring at the residential Munchlax as he cried watching Morpeko gobble up his treats.

“’Peko stop it,” Marnie muttered. She rolled her eyes when Morpeko morphed into Hangry Mode and hissed at her. “Fine, don’ come cryin’ to me when ya get your comeuppance.”

“Marnie?” Stella whispered softly, looking up at her from her seat. The Gym Leader jumped and turned to face the woman, approaching her carefully. “Are you staying the night?”

“If tha’s okay with ya…” She didn’t know why she was so nervous; Stella loved her.

Stella sniffed and smiled, nodding. “Of course it’s okay with me. You can stay in her room, if you want, though Gloria is a loud snorer.”

“Trus’ me, I know.” The women shared a giggle before looking back at the snoring brunette.

“She’s been through so much. When you came to my door with her in that state I just—” Stella’s words were cut off by a sob. Marnie rushed to her side and sat next to her, arm around her shoulder. She guided her up and towards the kitchen to sit at the dining table. Stella blew her nose into a tissue as Marnie placed a glass of water in front of her. “Thank you.”

The Spikemuth native sat across from Gloria’s mum and nodded. Stella smiled and took a shaky breath. “Gloria—she’s all I have left, you know. I’m sure you’ve noticed that, well, she doesn’t have a father. He wasn’t from here, actually, he was a one night stand, many years ago. His name’s not important, because he left when Gloria was very little.” She tightened her grip on the glass of water. “Had a short fuse, that one, though I reckon mine was shorter when we were together.” She laughed bitterly. “Postwick mode and all. Anyway, he said he didn’t want to be tied down, wanted to travel, so he up and left.”

“That’s terrible,” Marnie mumbled. “She never really brought it up, so I never pressed. But ya did such a good job with ‘er. She’s our Champion now.”

“Thank you, that means a lot, Marnie. I’m so, so proud of her. Though I wish she’d calm down every once in a while, she’s everything I could have ever wanted in a daughter.” Her smile widened. “And whatever she lacks, it’s definitely made up with you hanging around her. You’re a great influence!”

Marnie blinked and blushed slightly. “Ah, er, thank ya… though she’s the better influence on me, y’know, makin’ me step out my bubble an’ all.”

Stella smiled knowingly. “So, when are you going to pop the question?” She winked at the younger woman’s flushed face.

“What makes ya say I will?”

“Oh please, you can’t fool me. I recognize all the signs!”

The Spikemuth native sighed and bowed her head slightly. “I was plannin’ on it, earlier this week, but we got interrupted. Maybe once all this craziness blows over…”

“I’m so happy for you two! I’ll have another daughter to call my own.” Marnie’s head snapped up and she met Stella’s watery eyes with her own.

“I-I’m—” The raven-haired woman was perfectly speechless as Stella stood from her chair and wrapped her arms around her. She squeezed her eyes shut to keep her tears from falling. _Have to stay strong… like Pa said._

“You and your brother, Piers, are family now.” Stella whispered. “Don’t ever forget it.” She leaned back and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head, then left her to go to her bedroom. “I’ll see you tomorrow, dear. Good night.”

“Night…” Marnie mumbled, still in shock. She looked over to see Morpeko’s lower half poking out of Munchlax’s jaw and rolled her eyes. “’Peko, get outta there! Time for bed.” She recalled her Pokemon and Munchlax yawned sleepily and went over to his cot and plopped onto it.

She went into Gloria’s bedroom and perched herself on the edge of her bed, looking at the brunette’s peaceful face. _At least she’s not having a nightmare…_ She gently traced her fingertips over her bruises, then lightly held her hand as she passed her thumb over her swollen bandaged knuckles. _Whoever did this to you… I can’t wait to bash their skull in._

“Marnie…” Gloria sighed, smiling lightly. Marnie was startled but saw that the words were uttered from an unconscious Gloria. She lifted her tired eyes up to her window, seeing that dawn was slowly starting to break, and sighed deeply one last time before she decided to join her lover in a well-deserved slumber.

-x-

Nessa tapped her foot impatiently as she stood in front of a gated building in Spikemuth. Her phone was held to her ear as she waited for an answer. She examined her nails, then sighed when there was no response. She was about to hang up when the line finally picked up on the other end.

 _“The fuck do ya want.”_ Piers. Finally. Though it sounded as though he’d just woken up.

“Get your pasty ass down here and let me in. We have a lot to talk about.”

 _“Jus’ shut the fuck up for two seconds, k? I’m comin’.”_ Nessa narrowed her eyes at his tone. He hung up before she could edge in a word and she rolled her eyes.

“’Shut the fuck up’ he says… oh I’ll show him,” she grumbled, crossing her arms. Piers eventually emerged, though he looked like a punk disaster. His face was unshaven and his hair was wilder than usual. He was wearing a white wifebeater over loose jeans, and both articles of clothing looked to be stained with what Nessa hoped was just beer.

He unlocked the gate for her and flicked his eyes to meet her slightly concerned gaze. “Don’ say nothin’,” he mumbled. He turned around and she followed him up to his flat. She was relieved to see it still clean, though that was likely because of Marnie. He motioned to the sofa and she plopped down on it sideways, putting her feet up on the armrest like she owned the place.

“So Piers…” she started, seeing him move to the kitchen to open the fridge. She frowned and sat up. “If that’s a beer, put it back right now. I’m not fucking around Piers.”

The former Gym Leader rolled his eyes and lifted the carton of orange juice. “Calm your tits, it’s jus’ some orange pulp. Ya want any?”

“Sure, pour me a glass.”

He returned to her with her glass and she placed it on the coffee table in front of her. He jerked his chin toward her legs and she rolled her eyes before lifting them. He sat down and she placed them across his lap. He raised the glass to his lips and took a sip before raising an eyebrow.

“So, to wha’ do I owe a visit from th’ great Nessa?”

“Come off it Piers, you know why I’m here.” He avoided her sharp glare. “Look me in the eyes and stop playing dumb. What happened?”

“I got black out drunk, tha’s it—”

“Bollocks! You really gonna sit here and lie to my face like that?” Nessa leaned forward, hand on Piers’ forearm. “Piers, please… I’m worried about you.”

He sighed deeply and replaced his glass on the table. He dragged a hand down his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Nessa… I fucked up. Big time.”

“Explain.”

“Marnie an’ I, we were jus’ chattin’ shit, ya know, drinkin’ beers like we always do. I had too many, but only ‘cause she asked ‘bout…” he trailed off, clenching his jaw.

“Raihan?” Nessa filled in softly, turning Piers’ head to face her. The man nodded once and slumped back against the cushions.

“Yea.” He paused for a bit, trying to remember. “Well, not exactly. She asked ‘bout a myst’ry person in my life. I’m seein’ someone from Alola. Olivia, owns a jewelry shop. She’s also a Kahuna.”

“I know her, she’s been looking for a boyfriend forever.” Nessa slapped Piers’ shoulder. “Why are you with her? Why haven’t you talked to Raihan yet?”

“I-I can’t jus’—” he stammered, his face flushing in embarrassment. “I thought—well, I thought I coul’ get over ‘im, y’know? But, I can’t. I was wrong. An’ I feel like a righ’ wanker for doin’ this to ‘er but I don’ know how to end it an’—”

“Breathe, Piers.” Nessa rubbed his back in sympathy. “Why don’t you just tell Raihan how you feel? Why are you keeping it to yourself?”

“I—I can’t risk it. I know he only sees me as a frien’, y’know, with th’ way he talks ta me an’ all. Plus I’m pretty sure Leon an’ him ‘ave a thing for each other.”

“Leon wouldn’t know if someone were interested in him even if they kissed his mouth,” Nessa muttered, rolling her eyes. “And they’re not together.” She paused. “Piers, the longer you hold out on confessing, the worst it’s going to get. Trust me. You remember how it went down with Sonia…”

“Yea,” he mumbled softly, nodding. “Ya were a mess back then.”

“And here you are, repeating my dumb mistakes,” she chided, tweaking his cheek. “Do you really think Raihan feels nothing for you? I mean, he hasn’t been with anyone at all since we’ve known him. If he were interested in Leon they would be together by now.”

“Ya have a point there.”

“Of course I do, I’m like, the expert on relationships.” She waved her hand in his face, showing her ring. “I saw her, I liked her, and I put a ring on her soon as I could.”

“I still ‘member tha’ wedding.” He smiled fondly. “All of ya dancin’ like th’ world was gonna end tomorrow. Bes’ gig I’ve played.”

“I’m just glad you didn’t see Sonia before. I honestly thought she was going to kill me when she heard I fucked up the cake order.”

“Marn tol’ me ‘bout tha’. How in Arceus’ name did ya think lettin’ your Drednaw bring it in was a good idea?”

Nessa’s face quickly heated at the memory. “I thought it’d be cute! But my Pokemon obviously weren’t trained for that.” She sighed. “Well, I hope one day we can reminisce stories from your wedding.”

Piers snorted. “No offense, but marriage is a load of bollocks. All tha’ song an’ dance for wha’? Relationships aren’t defined by some ancient ceremony…”

“You’re entitled to your obviously wrong opinion.” Nessa scooted closer and hugged him. “As long as you tell him.” She sniffed, then recoiled. “Ugh, Piers, you’re a disgusting mess. When did you shower?”

He scowled and shoved her legs off him. “Get outta here already. Don’ ya ‘ave a gym ta run an’ a wife ta bother?”

She stood up, indignant, then paused when he stood up as well and wrapped his arms around her tightly. “Thank you,” he whispered against the crown of her head. She smiled and returned the hug.

“Anytime, Piers.” She made a gagging noise and pulled back. “And you really should think about showering.”

“Fuck off!” he laughed and pulled back. He crossed his arms and met her eyes again as his grin faded. “So Gloria’s okay then? They got ‘er back?”

Nessa sighed and put a hand to her hip. “Yea, Marnie, Bede and Hop went out to get her at the HQ. We’re gonna call a Gym Leader meeting once Gloria’s feeling better. There are a lot of interesting developments.”

The former Gym Leader nodded. “A’ight. Well, I ‘xpect Marnie to keep me updated, an’ I’ll try to help out where I can. Y’know, the usual.” He slouched slightly. “Hope this one doesn’t go like the las’ one…”

“You weren’t even there,” Nessa reminded him, rolling her eyes. She turned to leave, then looked over her shoulder. “Don’t forget about what I said. You better do something, fast, Piers. You’ve been waiting way too long.” She left the flat, leaving Piers alone with his thoughts and two glasses of orange juice.

-x-

Gloria groaned as she came to, hand going to her head. She woke slowly, but she felt irrationally terrified, like she had something wrapped around her wrists and ankles. The feeling left her in a cold sweat and shaking, but her tremors faded eventually as she came to. Hands immediately rushed to steady her and sit her up. A glass of cold water was pushed into her hands and she downed it eagerly, water dripping down into her shirt. When she finished it, she sighed in relief and the glass was pried from her fingers. She pressed the heel of her palms into her eyes as though it would stop the splitting ache in her head.

“Gloria?”

Marnie’s soft voice sent a jolt through her and she dropped her hands to meet her worried gaze. She smiled tentatively, which faltered when her knuckles ached. _Son of a—_

“Gloria, are—are ya okay?” Her whispers tugged at her heartstrings and she cupped her lover’s cheek to reassure her.

“Yea, yea, I’m—” Her eyes widened when she suddenly remembered. “Eternatus! The Wishing Stars!” Her eyes welled with tears. “We lost, didn’t we?”

Marnie’s lips tugged down into a frown and she sighed, looking away. Gloria noticed they were in her childhood home, in Postwick, and she was currently in her bed. The setting sun alarmed her. _Was I asleep for a long time?_ She gripped the sheets in her hands, then noticed the bandages on her knuckles.

The champion’s breathing quickened, and she put her shaking hands to her temples as she bent over. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, like a weight the size of a Wailord had settled on her chest. Spots appeared in her vision as her mind spun with the abuse she had suffered at the hands of Dalia. She felt the invisible bindings around her wrists and ankles tighten.

_I promised him, oh Arceus, I’m so sorry Eternatus… I promised you would be safe!_

Gentle hands grabbed her own to push them against her lap and lifted her head to meet turquoise eyes filled with an emotion that took Gloria’s breath away again for all the right reasons. Thumbs carefully brushed her tears away and held her face as though it were precious porcelain. She could feel her heartbeat slow as Marnie tucked her against her body, chin on top of her head.

“It’s gonna be okay. We’ll get ‘im back, alrigh’? Ya can’t give up now… not yet.”

The champion could only nod as she pushed her ear closer, desperate to hear something steadier than her own racing pulse. The fingers gently stroking her hair did nothing to assuage the rising guilt boiling in her stomach and compounding her feelings of helplessness. Gloria lifted her red-rimmed eyes and stood straighter. She looked Marnie in the eyes and caught a look of something that worried her, but it was gone before she could question it.

“How are ya feelin’?” the raven-haired woman asked gently.

“How long was I out?” Gloria asked instead, evading the question. Marnie frowned but did not comment.

“Almos’ fifteen hours. Ya were really tired.” She pursed her lips. “Gloria, wha’ happened back there? Why were ya tied up in a chair?”

Gloria flinched and recoiled, curling in on herself. “They t-tortured me. Not for information or anything, just ‘cause. One of them—” she cut herself off, shuddering, but pressed on, “—one of them had a sick fascination with me, because…” she trailed off not wanting to finish.

“’Cause what? Tell me, please. I’m tryna understand.”

“Just—just understand it’s not your fault at all, okay? This woman—Dalia—is really messed up. She was part of Team Yell, or so she says, and she was—is—obsessed with you, and by default, obsessed with me.”

Marnie’s eyes widened in shock. “Team Yell? What—I don’ understand, Glo.”

The champion shook her head. “I know just as much as you. She’s a psycho and she—she did this to me.” She sighed and dropped her forehead to her knees. “It doesn’t even matter. They have Eternatus, and that’s more important than whatever they did to me.”

Marnie felt anger boil in her chest. “What the hell are ya even sayin’? They _tortured_ ya, an’ for wha’? Entertainment?” She clenched her fists tightly. “If I ever see this slag in public I’ll skin ‘er alive.”

“I hope I never see her again,” the brunette mumbled, tightening her grip around her knees. “I’ve never felt so _helpless_ in my life. They kept me in the dark most of the time, and the only reason I didn’t go crazy is because the door let out just enough light under it that I could at least see my feet. I could still see I existed in some way.” She exhaled shakily. “These people… these people are _dangerous_. They used real, actual weapons and they’re not afraid to kill. They would have killed me had you guys not shown up. Dalia—she w-wanted to—” Gloria clamped shut, eyes widening.

Marnie was beside herself with fury. “ _What_ , Gloria?”

“I-I can’t say it, please…” She sniffed as tears built in her eyes. She buried her face against Marnie’s neck as her girlfriend held her tightly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’ mean ta push ya. I’m here for ya.”

“I know, thank you.” Gloria nuzzled in further. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” They stayed like that for a while, in silence, as Gloria calmed down. She leaned away and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands. She winced when her tears stung the smaller cuts on her cheeks.

Marnie watched as the expression on Gloria’s face shifted to something more serious, more resolved. The champion in her slowly took over as she straightened her back and looked at Marnie with determination in her eyes.

“We—” She cleared her throat. “We need to catch them before they hit their next target. We can’t wait for them to catch us by surprise again. I won’t let them hurt anyone ever again.”

The Dark-type expert frowned. “Gloria, tha’s reckless, we can’t jus’—”

“Hop and I almost died! I’m not about to sit and let them take my life—your lives—away without a fight, damn it!” She pushed the sheets away to stand up shakily and get up but her lover pushed her back down. “Marnie, you _know I’m right!_ ” She could feel a disgusting emotion coil around her throat like a snake, sharpening her words until they hurt.

“No. Gloria, stop an’ think ‘bout this for a minute. They’re expectin’ us to do somethin’ rash like this. We need ta wait an’ listen, then take action.” Marnie’s tired eyes met hers and she could feel the ugly irritation rear its head deep in her gut.

The brunette scoffed and looked away, crossing her arms. “Waiting and listening is not my style. It’s not becoming of a _Champion_ , Marnie!”

“Not the point, love.” Marnie reached over to put a hand on Gloria’s knee, thumbing the fabric over it soothingly.

Gloria turned around and met her eyes angrily. “Then can you just get to the point already? I can’t wait to hear what I did wrong this time.”

The raven-haired woman frowned and put her hand back in her lap. “What is wrong with you? Things are shite righ’ now, sure, but tha’ don’ give ya the righ’ ta act recklessly.”

The brunette ignored the guilt steadily weighing her limbs and pressed on. “Nobody seems to be worried about the fact that the literal fuckin’ embodiment of Judgment Day is now in the hands of some _thugs_! They could be planning to bring back the Darkest Day for all we know!”

“We are concerned,” Marnie mumbled. “But panickin’ ain’t gonna help anyone.”

“You don’t understand.” Gloria shook her head, tears springing to her eyes again. “You weren’t _there_ , Marnie. You weren’t there with me and Hop and Leon when we fought it. I thought we were going to die. It was _terrifying_.”

“Gloria…”

“No, stop. I don’t need this right now. What I need is to find those thieves before they unleash another hell on Galar. And this time, Eternatus might not be so kind to us.”

“An’ how exactly are ya plannin’ on findin’ them, huh? Gonna get Zamazenta or Zacian to sniff ‘em out? What’s the plan?” When nothing but silence met her, Marnie clenched her jaw. “You always do this.”

Gloria’s eyes snapped to her. “Do what, exactly?”

“Never plan anythin’ out. The second ya wanna do somethin’, ya do it, fuck the consequences, righ’? When ya broke inta Rose’s lab in Motostoke, did ya think ‘bout an escape plan? When ya went up to battle Eternatus, did ya know what to do? No. An’ now, runnin’ after a sniper _in the dark_ was the stupidest thing you have ever done. Ya keep rushin’ in and never thinkin’ ‘bout how to get yourself outta the holes ya dig, gettin’ other people to clean your shite.”

The champion had stayed quiet during the entire speech, but she could feel her hands trembling and a vicious anger claw up her throat, poisoning her mind and thoughts. “Well,” she bit out, voice tremoring, “maybe if you answered your _fucking_ phone and helped us, we wouldn’t have gotten ambushed, and I wouldn’t have gotten _kidnapped!_ ” She immediately regretted her words when she saw Marnie’s face drop. Gloria felt the anger rush out of her with the air in her lungs.

Tears streamed down Marnie’s face as she looked into Gloria’s eyes, clearly pained with remorse and guilt. She shook her head and stood from the bed. “Marnie, wait—please.”

“No, Gloria, I can’t do this righ’ now.” She yanked her wrist from Gloria’s grip and marched to the front door, slamming it behind her. The brunette groaned and threw herself back on the bed, putting her hands to her face.

“FUCK!” she yelled. “I’m such an idiot.” She sat up suddenly and pushed the sheets away from her. “I have to chase after her.” She stumbled off her bed, suddenly struck with fatigue and hunger, but pushed through it. She opened the front door to her concerned mother’s face.

“Gloria? I just saw Marnie leave… she was crying. Is everything okay?”

“I messed up really bad, I have to go see her,” she explained hurriedly, sidestepping her. “I’ll tell you about it later!” Gloria rushed down the walkway of her home and made to run after Marnie’s rapidly retreating figure when a camera shutter sounded from beside her. She turned her head to see a photographer snapping photos of her from her front yard, and that ugly irritation from before quickly rose within her.

She marched up to the man, fury clearly written on her face. “What the _fuck_ are you doing at my Mum’s house?”

He stumbled back, tripping over a root and falling on his butt. His eyes widened as he put his arms out. “I’m, uh, a nature photographer! There are so many Wooloo ‘round these parts, I couldn’t resist—” He cried out in pain when Gloria slammed her heel between his legs. She took his discarded camera and smashed it under her boot. She then grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and brought him up to eye level, nose to nose, a vein popping out from the side of her head.

“I see you around here again,” she seethed, eyes narrowing, “and I’ll crush your bits like I did your camera.” She let him go and he staggered back again. He turned on his heel and ran, a growing wet stain clearly visible on his trousers.

She was breathing heavily when it was all over. She saw that Marnie had gotten away, and felt despair claw up her throat. _She was crying. Marnie, crying! She’s never cried before… I’m the biggest piece of shit in Galar._

Gloria collapsed to her knees in the dirt and pushed her hair up with her bandaged hands, feeling a migraine coming on. _Arceus, I really blew it this time._

-x-

Hop woke to the sound of buzzing and blinked away the last of a good night’s sleep. He groaned and sat up, smiling down at the sight of Bede’s cheek pressed against the pillow with his arm wrapped around his waist. The buzzing ended and he sighed, pushing back some of his lover’s hair. Bede’s nose scrunched up cutely and he nuzzled further in, tightening his arm around Hop. The man leaned down to kiss his forehead when the buzzing started up again and he reluctantly pulled away to check his phone screen.

 _7:00 AM… time to get up and go to the lab._ He pushed the sheets off and winced when his feet met the cold tiled floor. Bede hated the heat and kept it near freezing in his house. Opal seemed not to mind, but then again, there was a lot Hop didn’t understand about the woman.

Just as he was finished convincing himself that a hot shower would make up for cold feet, he felt two arms wrap around his waist from behind and a kiss drop on his shoulder. “Leaving already?” Bede husked, pressing his chest against Hop. The scientist shuddered and put his hands over his lap. _The effect he has on me is… wow. And when he does that voice… double wow._

“Yup, seven o’clock, gotta get going, y’know, to uh… my _job!_ ” His last words squeaked out when Bede removed his hands from his lap and cupped him.

“Hmm, seems like your body thinks otherwise.” The Fairy expert turned his boyfriend’s face around gently to meet his half-lidded eyes. “Let me take care of you.” Hop’s breaths came out staggered and he leaned forward to crush his lips messily against Bede’s. He threw his arms around his neck and the blonde man pulled him back to their bed.

They arrived together at the Wedgehurst lab an hour later than Hop wanted, but the smirk on Bede’s face made it worth it. When they entered, Sonia was already in there, sweeping up the last of the glass shards from the windows. She looked up at the couple and smiled.

“Hop! You’re late…” She raised a knowing eyebrow and looked between the two. “Doesn’t take a Professor to figure out why.”

“S-so sorry, Sonia!” the man apologized, stepping forward, bowing deeply. His face was redder than a Tamato Berry. “It won’t happen again!”

The Professor laughed and waved him off. “Don’t worry about it, Hop! I’m just glad to see you’re okay. We cleaned up most of the glass and some people are coming in to replace the windows later this week. I just need your help with putting up some boards in the meantime.”

“You got it, boss!” He removed his jacket and rolled his sleeves up. Bede shrugged his coat off and put a hand to his hip.

“Do you have experience with this sort of thing?” he questioned.

Hop blushed lightly and shrugged. “I can put together most electronics, how hard can some plywood covers be?”

They heard a crash outside and Hop jumped. Sonia put a hand to his shoulder. “That’s probably the wood… got it delivered by Taxi!”

Hop laughed off his nerves and went outside with Bede, then stopped in shock, jaw dropped. He had expected the boards to be huge, but they were _massive._ He rubbed his hands, ready to get to work, when Bede tossed a great ball and Hatterene emerged. “Do bring these inside, Hatterene. Thank you.” He grabbed Hop’s arm and brought him inside as the Pokemon used her Psychic powers to transport the boards in.

The two entered to see Sonia up on a ladder, drill in her hand. She triggered it experimentally, grinning. “Let’s get to work, boys!”

After three hours of putting up boards (at one point Hop had dropped the screws and they splattered onto the floor, rolling under the bookshelves, which incited a very long clean up), Hop collapsed onto a chair, exhausted. Sonia was on her phone, likely texting Nessa, and Bede leaned against the nearby table, chugging down a water bottle. Hop watched his throat bob as he drank, feeling his mouth dry. _Sonia’s literally right there. Think about something else… fast!_

He sighed and leaned back. “Wow, this reminds me of when I used to help my dad out around the house when Lee was away.” He looked over at Bede and smiled slightly, but it dropped a little when he saw the man avert his eyes. His eyes widened and he sat up straight. “O-oh Bede, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine,” he interrupted, crushing the bottle in his grip, clearly not fine.

Sonia looked up from her phone, sensing tension in the air. She looked between the two men, then decided she shouldn’t get involved and exited the lab quietly.

“Bede, what’s going on?” Hop asked softly. He realized they hadn’t really talked about what had happened in their mission to rescue Gloria and kicked himself for not getting to this sooner.

The Gym Leader walked away from Hop, leaning his palms against the receptionist desk. Hop stood and approached him from behind but gave him space.

“Back there, in the base, I spoke with Rose while we battled. There wasn’t enough time—” his voice choked up and covered his face with his palms. “I hate him! How could someone I no longer care about make me feel this way?”

“Sweetheart…” Hop put a hand to his shoulder and turned him around, meeting his eyes with compassion. “You can’t control your emotions. No matter how hard you try, Rose still means something to you.”

“But—Hop, I gave him _everything_. My loyalty, my obedience, my time, my energy… and still, it was not enough.” He sniffled and shook his head. “I just wish he’d give me the closure I need. I just need him to tell me what I was to him, whether he considered me a son, or a tool.”

Hop stayed quiet for a while, then tilted Bede’s head up by his chin. His watery amber eyes met Bede’s red-rimmed amethyst ones. He cupped his cheek gently, as if terrified he would shatter him. “Bede, no matter what he says, your worth, your _identity_ , is not determined by what he thinks. It’s all on you, love, and I want you to know that you, Bede, are my everything, and that will not change across space or time or whatever trouble we run into. And I know right now that I can’t solve everything for you – I can’t change how he affects you – but I’ll be damned if I don’t try my very best to see your smile every day of my life.” He smiled shakily, tears finally escaping. “I love you, okay? I love you to the moon and back and—”

He was interrupted by Bede surging forward and locking their lips in a frantic kiss. They moved erratically, gasping and pulling at each other’s clothes. Hop pulled Bede up with him over to the stairs and ground their hips together, shuddering out another gasp.

“B-Bede—” the associate professor stuttered, biting his lip. Bede chuckled lowly, then gripped his boyfriend’s hips.

“I love you, too.”

-x-

Nessa gently brushed away stray hairs from Sonia’s face, the latter woman sound asleep in her arms. They were in Magnolia’s home on Route 2, sleeping in Sonia’s old bedroom. The Professor had spent the last several hours cleaning up the mess in her lab with Hop’s help. She refused to take breaks, insisting that her work was too important to delay the rebuilding. Nessa was glad that they had left when they did on that day, unable to bear the thought of Sonia also being captured. _What they did to Gloria… I’m not sure if I would have held up. I wonder how Marnie’s doing._

A loud vibration in the air startled her, Sonia grumbling against her incoherently, and Nessa lifted her head to see Sonia’s phone vibrating on the nightstand, Gloria’s name blinking on the front. Immediately, her heart dropped to her stomach, and she reached over to answer the phone.

“Gloria?”

 _“Nessa is that you?”_ Nessa sighed internally in relief. _“Where’s Sonia? I need to talk to her about something.”_

The Gym Leader looked down at her wife, content in her slumber, hair spread out around them. She didn’t have the heart to wake her. “She’s asleep. Anything I can help you with instead? Unless it’s about Wishing Stars.”

 _“No, nothing to do with that.”_ A pause, then, _“It’s about Marnie.”_

The Water expert’s eyes widened slightly. She lied back down, tucking Sonia closer and switching ears to hold the phone against. “What’s on your mind, Champ?”

A sigh. _“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to talk to you, since you might understand Marnie’s thoughts a bit better than Sonia. You just have to promise you won’t tell Piers or Marnie.”_

“Of course.”

_“I… fucked up. Big time. Me and Marnie have been going through some weird stuff lately and I exploded on her a couple hours ago. She hasn’t said a word to me since.”_

“Can you be more specific? Hard to help with zero context.” Nessa looked down to see Sonia had nuzzled in closer, tightening her arm around her waist. Her eyelids twitched, indicating a deep sleep. _Wonder what she’s dreaming about…_

She was snapped from her thoughts when Gloria started speaking again, this time slightly more agitated. She explained what had happened from her point of view but seemed to be downplaying Marnie’s reactions. _“I mean, I totally get why she’s pissed at me. I was a total tosser.”_

“Don’t be so hard on yourself Gloria. Fights are always a two-way street. I think she should have been a bit easier on you considering what you went through.”

The champion didn’t sound convinced. _“I guess… so, what do you think? How can I fix this?”_

Nessa’s eyes glazed over slightly as her mind went through the years her and Sonia had been through, the worst fights they had surmounted. “It’s important that you give her some space, but also that you make it clear that you still love her. Maybe turn up the charm, try to make her smile. And definitely apologize to her – knowing Marnie, she’ll have an apology of her own to work through.”

 _“Okay.”_ Gloria breathed out a long exhale through the receiver. _“Thanks Nessa. Appreciate it lots.”_

“Anytime.” Nessa expected Gloria to hang up, but the line was still on, and an awkward silence stretched. “…something else on your mind?”

 _“You don’t think she’ll break up with me, do you?”_ Nessa had never heard her sound so timid and small before. It nearly broke her heart.

“No way, Gloria!” she whisper-shouted. “She’s head over heels for you. I’ve never seen her happier than when she’s around you. Trust me, it takes a lot to see her _visibly_ happy.” She thought back to her wedding day, when Marnie had first hinted at her intent to propose. _There is no reality where she wouldn’t go through with that._

She heard a vague shuffling, like Gloria was nodding against the phone, then a quiet sniffle. _“Okay, okay… thanks. I’ll uh, I’ll talk to you later. We’re gonna have a Gym Leaders meeting to talk about what happened. I’ll email the details later. Night.”_

“Night, Gloria. Take care.”

Gloria hung up then and Nessa sighed heavily, putting the phone back down. Sonia stirred then, lifting her upper body up to place a sleepy kiss against her cheek. “What’s goin’ on?” she slurred, her eyes still shut and her speech heavy with drowsiness.

“I’ll tell you in the morning,” Nessa whispered, kissing her eyelids and sliding back down the bed. “Go back to sleep.”

“Okay,” Sonia yawned, settling back down. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”


	7. Desperate Measures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway there!!

“Dear, is this really necessary?”

Gloria rolled her eyes, probably for the tenth time in that hour, and sighed. “Yes, Mum. I need you to move into my flat in Wyndon with me for a bit. At least until things cool down, okay?” _And so that no more paparazzi stalk you…_

“But… Postwick is so quiet, no one would ever bother us here.”

The brunette opened her mouth to argue, but Marnie put a hand on her shoulder. Gloria jumped, not expecting her to be so close. “I got this,” she whispered. She went over to Stella and helped her zip up her luggage. “Ma, I need ya to be with Gloria ‘cause she hasn’ done her laundry in a month an’ frankly, it’s startin’ ta worry me.”

Stella turned to her with a gasp. “Gloria!”

The champion swiveled to her lover, fuming. “This is your idea of help—” her eyes widened as she caught on the first word Marnie had said. _Did she just call her ‘Ma’?_

Her mum stomped forward and put her hands on her lips. “Young lady, we will be having a _very_ long discussion on hygiene and why it’s important to clean your clothes. This is definitely not what I taught you—are you even listening to me?!”

Gloria stared at Marnie’s mischievous smirk, stunned speechless.

On the opposite end of the road, Hop was having a similar debate with his mother, who insisted on staying in the house with his grandparents and father. “Hop, dear, we will be fine. There is no need to worry.”

“Mum, please, I’ve already spoken with big bro and he’s gonna be here soon with the Taxis. We need to pack the essentials up and get going.” He heard Bede come up behind him and turned to him with a smile. “Hey.”

“Hello, Hop. Hello, Heather.”

“Bede, dear, welcome! Make yourself at home, we will be having kebabs today—”

“No, we’re not!” the scientist interrupted, frustration laced into his tone. “Mum, we’re leaving today and that’s final!”

Heather’s eyes filled with tears at her son’s tone and he immediately regretted his words. “Aw, Mum, please don’t cry. I-I’m just so worried about you all and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She sniffled and shook her head. “You’re asking me to leave the home where I raised my two boys, and where your father was raised. It’s a lot to take in all of a sudden.” They turned at the sound of a roar and saw Leon exaggeratedly waving from Charizard’s back, three Corviknight Taxis behind him.

“OI!” he shouted. “Let’s get a move on before we hit traffic!”

“What traffic?” Bede muttered, rolling his eyes. “Air traffic?”

Hop chuckled and wrapped an arm around his boyfriend’s waist, pressing a kiss to his chin. “Cheeky one, aintcha?”

“Mmhmm, but you adore it.”

“I do.”

Hop’s grandfather came out then, waving his fist angrily at the sky. “Why I never—in all my years, I have never taken a Taxi and I never will! When I was your age, we _walked_ where we wanted, distance be damned!”

The associate professor pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed when Bede kneaded his shoulders. He shivered when the taller man put his lips against the shell of his ear. “When we’re all finished, I’ll have a nice, warm bath waiting for you in Ballonlea. Miss Opal will be out of the house, of course.”

“That sounds nice,” Hop mumbled, breathing out slowly to calm his racing heart. Bede simply smiled and approached his grandfather, putting his arm out as invitation.

“Sir, I would be honoured to walk across all of Galar to Wyndon with you by my side.”

“O-oh, well, t-that won’t be necessary, young man,” he stuttered, blushing as his bluff was discovered. “Ahem, we may take the Taxis…”

Hop grinned at Bede, the latter blushing lightly in response.

-x-

Gloria paced in the board room of the Battle Tower, recalling the last time she’d assembled all the Gym Leaders for a meeting. _I don’t have Eternatus to help me this time…_ She looked up to meet Marnie’s gaze and avoided her eyes, remembering their row from a couple days ago. _I feel like the biggest piece of shit for making her cry, but I still don’t know how to make it up to her._

Her ears perked at the sound of footsteps and she smiled slightly when she saw Allister and Raihan. “Hey, nice to see you two.”

“Hello, G-Gloria,” Allister greeted quietly, fidgeting with his mask. He had grown so much taller over the last few years, taller than her, even. Though he still retained his stutter, his voice had deepened significantly, and he had become much more confident in his abilities as a trainer.

Raihan grinned and crossed his arms. “Champ! Good to see you. Hope we can have a rematch soon.”

“Definitely.”

More Gym Leaders filed in, so the couple decided to take their seats to welcome them. When everyone had assembled and exchanged greetings, Gloria looked around with a frown. “Gordie’s not showing up?”

Milo sighed and shook his head. “He said he had some urgent matter to attend to in Circhester. He asked me to relay the details of the meeting to him. I hope that’s okay with you!”

“Yea, sure… just wish he would have told me,” Gloria mumbled. She cleared her throat and stood up. “Thanks everyone, for being here today. I have bad news I’m afraid. If you haven’t heard by now, well, I apologize in advance for the shock.” She explained what had happened to her and Hop over the last three days, with Nessa chiming in when they got to the part about Sonia’s lab invasion.

By the end of the tale, most of the Gym Leaders’ faces were a mixture of shock, disbelief and disgust. Even Leon’s happy-go-lucky attitude was significantly toned down. Bede stayed silent, as did Hop and Marnie, not willing to relive what was possibly the most frightening experience they’d had since the Darkest Day.

“Damn, Gloria…” Raihan started, frowning heavily. “I’m so sorry to hear that and I’m glad you’re safe. I-I wish I’d known that these guys were dangerous.”

“What do you mean?”

He flinched and cleared his throat. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but when I saw these blokes protesting ya in Hammerlocke, I agreed with a lot of what they said. Ya know, the whole bringing back Dynamaxing thing. So when they got a little aggressive here and there, I gave ‘em a stern talking to and a wink, thinking they would just carry on protesting. I never knew these were the type of people to go blowing up Taxis.” He shook his head. “I should have known better…”

Leon put a hand to his shoulder and squeezed. “Raihan, you couldn’t have known. And they’re safe and sound, which is what matters. We all know that you would never do anything to hurt Gloria and Hop.” Raihan looked up and smiled shakily at Leon, the look lingering longer than appropriate. Marnie’s eyes darted between them, suspicious.

The former champion sighed. “I can’t believe Rose is back…”

“And he’s not alone,” Gloria added, “he has some help from some bloke named Giovanni.”

“Hmm…” Kabu stroked his chin, closing his eyes. “The name rings a bell, but I can’t for the life of me place it.” He opened his eyes, leaning forward. “But he is not as dangerous as Eternatus. What happened to it?”

Gloria looked away, ashamed, and Hop cleared his throat. “Giovanni was able to put it under his control. He plans on using the Wishing Stars and return it to its full power. Not sure if he’ll still be able to control it then, but he will for sure try.” He looked over at his friend and smiled. “I’m just glad we were able to recover our Champion.”

The brunette shifted uncomfortably, not saying anything. Milo took off his straw hat and stood up. “So, what’s the plan folks?”

Hop looked at the brunette, waiting for her to speak, then when she didn’t he sighed and stood as well. “We need your help in your respective cities. If you see any kind of operation that matches what we described, we ask that you shut it down as soon as you can. That means no more protests, especially if it gets rowdy like that.”

“People aren’t gonna like you censoring them,” Raihan warned. “They’ll just get angrier.”

“W-well, you c-could put a curfew o-or have them g-get a permit…” Allister suggested.

Kabu nodded encouragingly. “We should still allow them to protest, I believe there are some genuine elements to it, but threats to your lives will not be tolerated.”

Nessa pulled out her phone. “I have some contacts at the broadcast station. I’ll see if I can’t convince them to pull the plug on their propaganda news channel.”

“Make sure they keep the drama going!” Everyone turned to look at Kabu, who blushed. “What? They have a really great drama programme.”

“Brilliant! This is brilliant,” Hop exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “We can do this!”

The mood lightened over the Gym Leaders and they exited one by one, but Marnie pulled on Raihan’s elbow to stop him. He turned around questioningly, hands in the front of his hoodie. “Marnie? What’s up?”

She looked around, seeing Gloria watch her. “Let’s talk in private.” She nodded her head forward and walked out, Raihan following behind. When they exited the Battle Tower, Marnie directed him to the river in Wyndon and they stood at the railing. She started at the Dragon tamer for a minute, the man growing increasingly nervous.

“Why’d ya bring me here?”

“What are ya playin’ at?” she retorted, narrowing her eyes at him.

He blinked, stunned. “Uh, what—”

“Don’ play dumb with me. Piers, why are ya tuggin’ ‘im aroun’ like tha’?”

Raihan straightened and frowned. “The fuck? Are you seriously accusing me of leading Piers on—”

“Raihan, you an’ I _both_ know he has feelin’s for ya— _has had_ feelin’s for ya, for a long time. If ya ain’t interested jus’ tell ‘im an’ be done with it.” The Gym Leader paled and turned to look down at the river.

“It’s… complicated, Marnie. It’s not that I’m not interested, it’s just—what I want might be too much for Piers…”

“Ya think I don’ know complicated?” she bit back. “Try me.”

Raihan rolled his eyes. “Fine. You asked for it.” He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. “I have feelings for Piers. Have had feelings for him, since I became Gym Leader. You know me and him have this little rivalry going on. At first, I thought it was intense because we had opposing views on Dynamaxing, but I realized I would think about him outside of battles, too. And I love that he contradicts me in every way—y’know, opposites attract and all that shizz.”

He took a breath and closed his eyes. “But Leon—he riles me up, too, in a different way. With him, it feels like we’re always competing, and damn if that doesn’t turn me on.” He laughed, shaking his head. “I guess what I’m trying to say is if I had to choose, I would pick both of them.”

Marnie raised an eyebrow. “What, like a threesome?”

Raihan reddened and pulled his collar up. “Ugh, don’t say it like that! You make me sound like some—some weird sex maniac. It’s not that, honest. I just can’t choose and I would love to have both of them. Who says I have to conform to stupid traditional monogamy, y’know?”

“Literally Piers’ soulmate…” she muttered, out of earshot. She cleared her throat and sighed. “Ya shoul’ really talk ta Piers an’ Leon ‘bout it. I think ya could make it work if ya tried. Ya know that Piers ain’t the traditional type.”

“I don’t know how Leon would take it,” Raihan admitted. “He already got his heart crushed by Sonia, and I know he’s not the sharing type.”

“But he could learn… he’s changed a lot since he lost ta Gloria.”

“True… hm… I’ll think about it.” Raihan looked deep in thought, chin in his hand.

She paused for a bit and drummed her fingers against the railing. “Piers’ seein’ someone, but I don’ think it’s serious.”

Raihan’s jaw dropped a bit, and he tried to appear aloof. “Oh really? Who is it?”

“She’s from Alola, name’s Olivia. Like I said I don’ think it’s serious… but he’s tryna get over ya, so if ya care ‘bout ‘im, ya better move fast.”

He swallowed nervously and exhaled shakily. “Alright.” He grinned and clapped a hand on Marnie’s shoulder. “Thanks! You’re real good at this. I bet you and Gloria are thinking of hitching your wagons to each other.” He waggled his eyebrows, then tilted his head when she sighed again.

“We are, but it’s a li’l complicated righ’ now, with all this nonsense happenin’. I hope we can get this all under control soon.”

Raihan pulled his hand back, his expression complicated. “I hope so, too.”

-x-

Hop wiggled his toes slightly out of the water in the tub as he sank further against Bede’s chest behind him. The man dug his fingers into his scalp and massaged the shampoo in gently. The scientist hummed in pleasure and closed his eyes as his boyfriend worked his magic. Behind him, Bede smiled and continued to apply pressure, lowering his fingers to his shoulders and kneading the muscles there.

“You’re so tense, love. Just sit at your desk all day today?”

Hop sighed in pleasure. “Right there, please. And yes, threats to my life aren’t enough to stop me from working. If anything, it’s motivated me to push out more designs and prototypes for testing.”

“What are you working on?” Bede asked, knowing that he would probably understand less than half of what Hop was about to say. But it was worth it to see that glint in his eyes as he explained his research.

As expected, Hop twisted around to meet his lover’s eyes with his own shining gaze. “Hm, just a couple of things I learned from Sunyshore in Sinnoh. Did you know they have walkways all over the city made of solar panels?”

“I did not know that.”

“It’s amazing! I wish we could do something like that here. Spikemuth is too crowded though, but maybe Wyndon would be a good test case? Anyway, I was thinking about some ideas on how to improve the efficiency of solar panels, since they are at most twenty-three percent efficient nowadays. This is due to hardware limitations, you know, like our ability to create perfectly absorbing panels that can convert photonic energy into electricity. But I’ve found a workaround, and it’s been staring us in the face this whole time… literally!” The excited scientist leaned over the tub to grab his phone and waved it in Bede’s face. “Rotom!”

The young man frowned. “Rotom?”

The other man nodded enthusiastically, then put his phone back down. “Yes! Rotom! We use Rotom as a sort of personality and helper in our electronics, but it’s a Pokemon and it has special abilities, too! See, one of the problems is that the sun’s energy is not uniform—different photons with different energies are emitted all the time. But only a fraction of these energies can be absorbed by our panels, which is a huge waste. But if Rotom is able to energize the lower energy photons prior to being absorbed, then they can contribute to the overall electrical output!”

“Hmm… how would you do that? And wouldn’t you run the risk of energizing the higher end, too?”

“Great questions, Bede. I can always count on you to be so observant.” Hop grinned at his boyfriend’s light blush. “Rotom would act as part of the incident layer in the panel and do what it’s supposed to do. Sonia and I are working on materials that specifically absorb those higher end photons and convert them to the right energy. The rest is then converted to visible light through luminescence. In the end, these panels would glow a little, which is wicked in my opinion.”

“All those years of studying physics and engineering really paid off, hm?” Bede mumbled, wrapping his arms around his lover. The other man laughed lightly and shook his head.

“Arceus, those first couple of years were horrible. Sonia had to pick up some of this stuff with me and she absolutely hated it. But she does love building things, actually.”

“Has she been thinking about going back to her historical studies?”

“It’s hard to get good funding for those kinds of projects, so she works on it in her spare time. Mainly on a revised edition of her book with more information on Zacian, Zamazenta and Eternatus.”

Bede hummed in thought, then cupped some water and rinsed out the shampoo in Hop’s hair. Hop closed his eyes and smiled, enjoying the warm water running down his body. “I do enjoy when you discuss your work with me, Hop. I can see how passionate you are and how it lights your whole being. I am truly honoured to see this side of you.”

The scientist opened his eyes and his breath hitched at the smouldering look his lover was giving him. He stared into his eyes for a second, then leaned forward for a kiss. The embrace escalated into something more intimate when he shifted and felt Bede against him, gasping into the other’s mouth. Bede pulled away with a smirk upon seeing his lover’s flushed face. Hop swallowed nervously in anticipation, threading his hands into his lover’s hair.

“I’ll make you forget all about solar cells, if only for a little while,” he whispered. Hop shivered and leaned in for another kiss.

-x-

Gloria flopped onto the bed with a sigh, burying her face into Marnie’s pillow. They were back in Spikemuth since Stella had kicked Gloria out of her flat to do some “deep cleaning” despite her daughter’s protests. Leon had promised to check up on her and so Marnie had whisked her back to her flat. It had been an awkward trip on the way here, but Gloria had nowhere else to go and it wasn’t like they’d broken up… right? The brunette sighed and leaned up slightly to get a better look at her lover’s bedroom (not that much had changed since she had last visited).

The room was not too big, but it was big enough to hold a double-sized bed with the headboard pressed against the wall. Three walls were painted a light pink with the fourth being black, likely having been done in Marnie’s younger years and forgotten about. Old posters of Spikemuth, Piers and his band covered the walls from ceiling to floor, the edges frayed over time. To the right of the bed was a window that was across from a sleazy bar with pink neon lights that had survived Spikemuth’s renaissance. A vanity was pressed up against the wall adjacent to the bed but far from the window, in front of which was a chair, and upon which were a few makeup kits. Of note was a well-used bottle of mascara that looked to be running out, which Gloria stashed away in her mind for later.

Beside the vanity, to the left, was a dresser with four drawers reserved for Marnie and one for Gloria that would be put to good use tonight. On the wall adjacent to the window was a desk with an upright overhead shelving unit. The shelves contained binders of important documents, books related to Pokemon battling, Dark types and introductory physics (likely from Hop) and Sonia’s book. On the desk was a stack of official League documents, a copy of one of Hop’s published papers, one of many journals used to track her Pokemon training regimen and two framed photos.

The first was a photo of Marnie, Gloria, Bede and Hop after the latter had been promoted to associate professor a few months ago. Marnie and Bede were at the ends of the line whilst Gloria and Hop were in the centre, clearly in the middle of a cheer. Sonia had taken the photo, the champion recalled fondly.

The second was the selfie Raihan had taken of Piers, Marnie, Gloria and himself after they had defeated the Dynamaxed Haxorus during the Royal Muppets incident, as it was known to them. Morpeko had jumped onto Marnie’s shoulder at the last minute, surprising her trainer which showed on her face clearly, a rare occurrence.

Gloria’s eyes shifted over to the drawers of the desk, knowing there were likely more odd trinkets and items, before flicking over to the doorway as a sudden shadow was cast over her. She turned and sat up straighter when Marnie entered, hair damp from a shower and a towel round her shoulders. The champion hyped herself up in her mind. _Okay, time to win her back with my usual charm…_

“Aw, you showered without me?” Gloria pouted, receiving a chuckle in return. _Score! One point to Gloria._ Marnie shook her head fondly and sat on the bed, lifting the towel to dry her hair.

“Sorry love, I thought ya weren’ comfy showerin’ together with Piers bein’ here.”

The brunette blushed lightly. “Uh, right… well, guess I’ll head out and shower now!” She stood up and stretched, relaxing with a sigh. She turned to face Marnie and from her new vantage point, made out a little box located behind an eyeshadow palette on the vanity. _That kind of looks like…_ She reddened and looked at Marnie, who had caught her line of sight and paled.

“Off ya go! To th’ shower with ya!” The raven-haired woman sprung up from the bed uncharacteristically and pushed Gloria out of the room before slamming the door in her face. The brunette jumped slightly in surprise and knocked.

“Hey! I need my clothes.” She heard quiet cursing, then the sound of a drawer opening, then the rustling of clothes. The door opened and a pile of clothes and a towel were dumped at her feet, followed by the slam of the door again. The champion sighed and trudged toward the bathroom with her clothes in tow. Throughout her entire shower, all she could think about was what the little box signified. _It can’t be… right? I mean, I think we’ve talked about it, but she’s never… ugh, why do I feel like she’s tried talking to me about this before?_

She turned the water off and shook her head. _Must be so tired, can hardly think right! If Marnie wanted to propose, she would have done it already… not that she would after what I said to her._ The thought depressed her and she dried herself off with her towel then changed into her pajamas—a tank top and shorts—slowly.

When she exited the bathroom, she looked to see Piers leaning against the wall. “Hey, Piers. Need to go in?”

Piers regarded her for a moment. “Yea, but I think there’s somethin’ on your mind. Let’s go in the kitchen an’ chat.”

“It’s okay, Marnie’s waiting for me and—” Piers’ glare stopped her and she sighed. “Alright.”

They sat across from each other on the kitchen table. The former Spikemuth Gym Leader stared at the Champion as she fidgeted and tried to avoid his gaze. It reminded him slightly of the first time they met, which made him smile. This prompted Gloria to smile, too.

“Why are you all smiley?” she asked. The brunette giggled when the singer shrugged.

“The way we’re sittin’ brings me back to when I caught Marnie an’ you in ‘er room. All we’re missin’ is my li’l sis glarin’ at me like I committed a war crime.”

“Well… you did walk in on us and we were pretty uh, underdressed.”

“Not a great firs’ impression, if ya ask me.”

Gloria opened her mouth, then closed it. “You’re not wrong,” she muttered instead.

“What’s botherin’ ya? Is it Marnie?” he tried, trying to elicit a reaction and see if his guess was correct. When the champion swallowed and looked away, he leaned back slightly. _Bingo._

“It’s not—it’s not Marnie. She’s wonderful. It’s really just me, honestly.” Gloria sighed when Piers tilted his head, confused. “Sorry, not doing a great job explaining, am I?”

“Nope.”

The champion sighed again, then bounced her leg nervously. “I… well, I really fucked up. We got into a fight at my house after… y’know… a-and I made her cry.” Piers’ eyes widened and she put her hands up to placate him. “I’m sorry! I…” she looked down, ashamed, and lowered her hands. “I didn’t mean to hurt her, and it seems like she’s feeling better now, but still.”

Piers shook his head and sighed. “I ain’t gonna meddle in your fights, but I hafta tell ya, you fuckin’ hurt ‘er again, I’ll make sure Obstagoon unleashes a worl’ o’ pain.” Gloria gulped and nodded quickly. “Ya better ‘pologize to ‘er if ya haven’ already.”

“I want to, I just haven’t had the time to sit down with her and talk. I don’t want it to be some half-assed apology, ya know?”

“Right…” The Spikemuth native frowned when Gloria averted her eyes again. “Seems like there’s somethin’ else ya wanna talk ‘bout. Spill it.”

Gloria stood up and peeked around the kitchen doorway then returned to her seat. “Piers,” she whispered, eyes wide. “Can you keep a secret?”

 _If it’s about my sister, probably not._ “Sure, what’s on your mind?”

“I think Marnie wants to propose, which makes this fight a million times worse. But we haven’t talked about it at all, so I’m doubting myself. But I also really want it to happen. I don’t know if I’m just seeing things that I want to see, but I swear I saw a box that looked big enough to hold a ring in her room. Before I could get a better look, she kicked me out, which made me even more suspicious. What do you think? Did she tell you anything?”

She looked so desperate and confused, it broke Piers’ heart to lie to her, but he had to if he didn’t want Marnie committing war crimes against _him_. “Gloria, I doubt ya saw anythin’ remotely resemblin’ a ring box. Pro’bly jus’ another makeup thing o’ hers.” Gloria’s face fell immediately and he resisted the urge to reach his hand out to comfort her. “But why does it matter so much? Ya know she loves ya… does a ring really make tha’ much of a difference?”

The brunette hesitated before shaking her head. “No, I suppose not. I guess it’s just the thought of being able to call her my wife—I don’t know, it just makes me really happy.” Gloria smiled at that and Piers chuckled.

“What a sap.” She stuck her tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes. “Well, I oughta go shower. Ya shoul’ get some rest, never know when the next one’s gonna hit.”

She stood up when he did, and he was startled when she tackled him in a hug. Her head reached just under his shoulder. He blinked, then wrapped his arms loosely around her. “Thanks, Piers. I feel a lot better now. You’re such a great big brother, Marnie is lucky to have you.”

 _She’s lucky to have you, too_ , he thought, smiling when she pulled away. “Thanks, Glo. Now get goin’ ‘fore she hunts me down for stealin’ ya away from ‘er.”

The champion laughed lightly as she turned away. “Night.”

Piers pulled his phone out and sighed in relief at the message on his screen.

_Lil punk: All good. Thanks for the cover_

_Big punk: Np_

He set his phone down and tapped a finger on the hard wood of the table. _If they can figure it out, why can’t I? Raihan…_ He pulled up a contact from his phone and tapped out a long message, then sent it. He slumped back in his chair and pushed his hair up, suddenly feeling exhaustion overcome him.

Gloria entered the room again quietly, then sagged in disappointment when she saw Marnie’s form facing the window, her eyes closed and her breathing even. On the nightstand was her phone facedown, which was joined by Gloria’s phone. She flicked her eyes over to the vanity and noticed the box had gone missing, which made her suspicious again. She decided to leave it for another day and went to the other side of the bed and tucked herself in, facing Marnie’s back. She fell asleep quickly, her heart aching with sadness.

Marnie turned around to face her when she felt it was safe and sighed sadly. She scooted closer and put a hand to Gloria’s cheek, thumbing her cheekbone softly. It was as though Gloria could sense her as she smiled slightly in her sleep and nuzzled up into her palm. Unlike the troubled Champion, sleep eluded the Spikemuth Gym Leader until the early hours of the morning, her heart heavy with indecision.

-x-

A tall blonde woman walked the streets of Wyndon after exiting from the hair salon. Her newly cut hair came up to just under her shoulders. She wore a loose jogging outfit and a cap on her head, her eyes hidden behind sunglasses. As it was eternally overcast in Wyndon, she had no need for them, but she did not want to be recognized in the streets.

She walked at a brisk pace, her head down and made her way to the Ferris wheel. There, she paid for her admission and entered the cab as it lowered to the ground. When the wheel began its rotation, she took her hat and glasses off and gazed out at the city with a sigh.

“To think this all belonged to us, at one point,” she mumbled, leaning her head against the window. It was late in the evening. The lights on the spokes of the wheel alternated between the colours of the rainbow, taking turns to illuminate her face in different hues.

She sighed again and looked down at her cellphone lock screen. Even now, after all this time, she had kept it the same. A candid photo of Rose as he addressed a crowd in Wyndon Stadium, that passionate fire in his eye. The same flame that kept her coming back to him again and again. Though, in their final moments together, that spark had been dulled to a simmer.

She unlocked her phone and thumbed through her contacts. Looker had not reached out to her in a long time, not since she was officially free from her sentence, and even then had not bothered to check up on her. _He is InterPol… likely busy with ruining other lives._

Gloria contacted her only to keep tabs on her, though it had been months since they last spoke. _I did tell her I had left Galar the last time she called. She probably thinks I no longer want to be involved in their affairs._

Bede never called her. She wasn’t surprised, since it was her orders that ultimately led to Rose disowning him. _Though Rose was the one who wanted to collect the Wishing Stars to begin with…_

She had not heard from Rose since they had seen each other at his trial. She had not been allowed to visit him, and he had broken free of his cell half a year after he was put in there. The circumstances surrounding his escape were still unknown, even his benefactor had no known identity as of yet. _And still… though he is free, he has not contacted me yet. Why, Rose?_

She turned her head to the window again, noting that the wheel had paused with her at the summit. From her vantage point, she could see nearly all of Wyndon. The stadium had shut its lights off for the night, but the Battle Tower advertised itself eagerly, awaiting new challengers. _Even Leon has not bothered to say hello. I had thought we had formed a sort of mutual understanding. I suppose not._

She jumped when her phone beeped, then froze when she looked down at the lit screen. Rose’s name flashed across the screen and she fumbled to quickly answer. “R-Rose?”

_“Hello, Oleana.”_


	8. Betrayal

Corviknight slowed to a stop in front of Sonia’s lab in Wedgehurst. Marnie disembarked, then turned to Gloria when she stayed atop her Pokemon. She tilted her head and reached her hand out, then pulled away when Gloria ignored it, sighing. They were meeting up with Sonia and Nessa to discuss their current leads and figure out who they were dealing with.

So far, the media had lambasted Gloria’s response to the usual protests around Wyndon. Though Nessa had tried, modern social media had prevented a complete shutdown of the opposing voice that screamed for Gloria to step down from her post as Champion of Galar. A brick had been thrown at her home in Postwick, which made Gloria thankful she had moved her mum to her much safer flat in Wyndon. But the damage had been done and the brunette’s morale was lower than ever.

“Gloria,” Marnie tried, shuffling forward slightly. The brunette turned her head away and closed her eyes tightly, and Marnie knew then she was trying to hold back her tears. “Oh, sweetheart—”

The champion met her soft turquoise eyes with shining brown ones, bottom lip trembling. “I’m such a fuck-up…”

“Gloria, no, don’ say tha’—”

The champion laughed mirthlessly, covering her face with her hands. “I can’t believe I let them get Eternatus a-and _do_ things to it!” She shook her head. “You should’ve just left me there…”

“Gloria!” The brunette looked up to see Marnie’s genuinely shocked expression. “Ya didn’ _let_ _them_ do anythin’! An’ I would _never_ leave ya.” Gloria remained quiet and Marnie sighed. “Let’s jus’ go inside an’ see wha’ Hop an’ the others are up to. Maybe they ‘ave some ideas.”

Gloria let her hands fall to her lap and nodded numbly, getting off Corviknight and calling him back to his ball. She let Marnie tug her into the lab and looked up when she heard silence. Hop, Sonia, Nessa and Bede sat around a table, apparently talking about something before she arrived.

“What’s going on? What were you talking about?”

Sonia sighed as she stood up and walked over to Gloria. She put a hand on her shoulder and guided her to a chair, Marnie sitting next to her. “We were just talking about the mission and what we’ve learned so far.”

“I wouldn’t count it as a total loss,” Hop added. “We may not have gotten Eternatus or the Wishing Stars back, but we got our Champ back and we have a ton of valuable information.”

“Who could have imagined the former Chairman would be involved in such… vulgar nonsense?” Bede muttered quietly, eyes deep in thought. He blinked when Hop put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.

“And that other man you mentioned…” Nessa sighed, crossing her arms. “This is getting to be quite the conspiracy you’ve uncovered.”

Gloria remained quiet, head down. Sonia looked across the table and met Marnie’s eyes, who shook her head. “Do any of ya know who this _Giovanni_ bloke is?”

The Professor drummed her fingers against the table. “No. I’ve searched all public InterPol and Galar Police databases, as well as scoured social media, but nothing. There could be some redacted documents I don’t have access to, but Looker has been off the grid for a while.” She sighed. “It’s like this Giovanni doesn’t even exist.”

“He’s definitely real,” Gloria hissed, eyes narrowing. “And he’s not done fucking with us yet.” She stood up, chair legs scraping against the floor and her palms against the table. “I’m going back to the Wild Area and taking another look at their base. Maybe I can find out more about their plans.”

“There’s nothing left there, mate.” Hop stood up as well and crossed his arms. “You saw it collapse! Are you gonna go digging under all that rubble?”

“There could be Team Cosmos grunts all over there, too,” Marnie added. “‘S not worth it.”

Gloria threw her hands up in the air, frustrated. “Well then, what should we do? Sitting here isn’t gonna help! It’s like—it’s like you don’t even _care_!” She swiveled on her heel and stomped away. “Ugh! Forget it. I’ll do this on my _own_ , like a true _Champion_!”

“Gloria!” Hop yelled. The door slammed shut and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why does she always do this?!” He looked at the Spikemuth Gym Leader as she stood up.

“I’ll go after ‘er. You guys work on figurin’ out our nex’ move.” Marnie left and Hop sighed as he plopped back down.

-x-

Rose pressed the pad of his thumb against a biometric scanner and stepped away when the metal door slid open. The door opened to a long and dark hallway that led deep underground. Giovanni entered before him and Rose sighed as he followed. They were currently at a secret bunker located under the Battle Tower, formerly the Rose Tower. Rose built it in case the Darkest Day failed catastrophically, which it did, in a way.

The bunker came in use when he escaped prison and needed a safe place to stay away from prying eyes. He hadn’t intended for Giovanni to use it as their headquarters, but then again, he hadn’t intended to be busted out of prison in the first place. Life was full of surprises like that, he concluded.

The bunker was a luxurious single-floor flat, with long hallways and multiple rooms branching off. It spanned nearly the entire garden area underneath the tower. When Rose had first built the bunker, he had meant for the rooms to be for his various hobbies, like gardening. But since Team Cosmos had needed more resources, they had been repurposed with other goals in mind.

There were rooms for training Pokemon, chemistry labs, engineering spaces and meeting rooms. There were also bedrooms for the higher admin and bathrooms and kitchens. They even had a holding cell for prisoners or traitors, which was currently being put to use right now.

Giovanni lifted his hand and waved lazily. “Go check on our special friend, will you? I have some business I must attend to.”

“Of course…” Rose mumbled, watching as the man went to one of the tech labs. Likely to fiddle with his pet project, the one he kept secret from him. _I have allowed him too long of a leash…_ He grunted and made his way to the holding cell.

When he entered, he smirked as he saw his prisoner glare up at him from his position on the ground. Rose had never forgotten the face of the man who humiliated and ruined him. When he had received reports of a suspicious character poking his nose around his business, he was eager to punish. He crouched and pulled the gag out, his smirk widening.

“How are you?” he asked condescendingly as he stood up. “Need some water, some air? You’re looking a little… blue down there.” He pressed the tip of his leather shoe against a bruise on the side of Looker’s face, laughing when the man flinched in pain. Looker stayed silent, which infuriated Rose. “Very well. Stay here, and _rot._ ”

Rose turned on his heel and made to leave, then stopped when he heard rustling behind him. He twisted his neck slightly to glance behind and saw Looker on his knees, breathing heavily.

“A man like you, one who behaves like you, does not love his country or its people.”

The former chairman’s eyes widened in fury as he gripped the doorframe tightly. He swiveled and stomped over to the detective and lifted him up by the collar of his ripped shirt. He brought his face close to his own. “Shut your insolent mouth!” he screamed. “You have absolutely no idea what you speak of. Everything I have done—every single effort and breath—has been to put this country on the path to prosperity! Do not sit here and judge me with your useless standards. I have done far more for this country than you will ever do in a _million lifetimes_!”

Looker met his furious gaze with his calm stare. “You are nothing but a puppet, and Giovanni, your puppet master. He will sink this country into the ocean, along with you.”

Rose’s hands trembled and he shoved Looker away from him. “You are wrong. You are—” he paused, remembering Giovanni’s words. _I do not care for your cultures and traditions. What I want, is power._ He breathed out slowly and turned away, closing the door behind him as he left. He leaned against it from the outside, closing his eyes as a memory came to him unbidden.

-x-

_Five and a half years ago…_

Rose walked into the courtroom, wrists shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit. He kept his eyes down, not willing to look around at the ones eager to see his demise. His lawyer, Matthew, guided him to his seat at the front of the room and he sat, keeping his wrists down and out of sight. On the other side of the room, the prosecution—a team composed of no less than six lawyers—conversed about mundane topics as though this trial required no prior preparation or thought. Rose narrowed his eyes, seething on the inside.

“All rise for Judge Tobias.” Rose stood and looked up to see the judge enter the court, wearing long black robes. He went up to sit at his bench and motioned for the others to return to their seats. He appeared to be a jolly old man with a long white beard and round glasses, but Rose knew better than to underestimate him.

“This court is now in session,” Judge Tobias announced, clapping his gavel down. “Will the prosecution please begin with introductions?”

“Yes, Your Honour,” a very young lawyer stated, standing up. She shuffled her papers then moved to the front of the room. She cleared her throat. “We are here today because we survived. We survived the Darkest Day thanks to the help of brave young trainers—gym challengers, no less, as well as our Unbeatable Champion, Leon. However, this incident would never have occurred if not for the actions of Chairman Rose, Co-Founder and CEO of Macro Cosmos—”

“Objection, Your Honour!” Matthew interrupted, standing up. When Tobias nodded, he continued. “The prosecution has stated that my client is responsible for the Darkest Day, which has not been proven in this court. I do believe this is a presumption of guilt and would like the statement retracted from the record.”

“Granted.” Judge Tobias stroked his beard, then smiled kindly at the nervous lawyer. “Please, continue, but do avoid blanket statements like that one.”

She nodded shakily then continued. Rose tuned out the rest of her speech, as well as Matthew’s speech defending him, as he looked down at the grain of the table. His thoughts were in disarray: one side of him fully believed he’d had everything under control, but another treacherous side saw that his actions could truly have caused irreparable damage. It took everything in him not to crumble. He didn’t know how long it’d been as he lost himself in his thoughts.

“The Prosecution would like to call Miss Oleana to the stand.” His eyes snapped up and he saw his former secretary quickly make her way up to the bench beside the judge. He could not take his eyes off her, though he noticed she refused to look at him as she rubbed a faded welt on her forearm. Despite everything, there was a part in him that did truly love her, even if the way he showed it was abhorrent.

The six lawyers took turns asking Oleana questions and she answered flawlessly. So perfect, so poised and calm. Rose knew what he was doing when he hired her and took her under his wing. She was the perfect assistant and the perfect partner. Matthew’s leg bounced nervously, which caused him to chuckle.

“What’s so funny, sir?” Matthew hissed. “You seem not to be worried about the fact that she may very well be the final nail in your coffin.”

“Matthew, oh Matthew,” Rose hummed, smiling. “The minute they called her up there, I lost. But thank you for your concern…” He chuckled again when he saw his lawyer pale considerably. The former chairman looked up at Oleana again and was thrilled when she finally made eye contact with him. She stumbled slightly in her testimony but regained her momentum and finished with her eyes locked onto his. It was as though no one in the room existed but them, and Rose felt his guilt rise when she pressed her fingers against her bruise harder.

_I was so terrible to her… and yet she was always there for me._

Rose snapped out of the memory as a purple-haired woman approached him. She wore a formal version of the Team Cosmos uniform, black slacks and a turtleneck, with an orange bandana wrapped around her neck. _Admin Dalia_ , he recalled, standing straighter.

“What is it?” he demanded, crossing his arms. She met his glare with one of her own.

“Boss wants to see ya,” she answered, her accent heavy on his ears. _Spikemuth, how vulgar._ “Says we’re movin’ onta phase four.”

“Phase four?” he muttered. “But it is far too soon…”

She shrugged. “Don’t matter ta me. Boss says it goes so it does.” She pushed past him and marched towards what he recognized as the communications room, likely to give wider orders to the others.

Rose sighed, then walked to Giovanni, his heart heavy but ready. In his hands he clenched his phone, screen illuminating a number he hadn’t wanted to contact in years.

-x-

Marnie raised her fist and knocked on the door to Gloria’s childhood home in Postwick, sighing when there was no answer. She rummaged in her bag for her spare key, then stopped when she looked up at the now-fixed gate leading into the Slumbering Weald. She narrowed her eyes when the gate squeaked as the wind pushed it slightly, then moved towards it.

She had only been in the forest a handful of times, when Gloria needed space and time to think and she chased after her. The champion seemed drawn to the area, seeking refuge in the fog. Marnie understood the appeal.

When she finally made it to the heart of the weald, she saw her lover sitting on the pedestal, past the arch, and dangling her legs over the edge as she stared down at her reflection. The raven-haired woman approached her cautiously, but loudly so as to not startle her. The brunette glanced back at her briefly then returned to her thoughts, skipping a rock across the lake’s surface.

Marnie sat quietly at her side, playing with the hem of her jacket sleeves. The moon’s light reflected beautifully off the surface of the water, but it couldn’t take her mind off the chasm between them. She took her jacket off, feeling constricted and laid back on it, legs dangling over the lake. Gloria looked at her curiously but said nothing.

They stayed like that for half an hour, the sound of the pebbles plopping into the water slowly lulling Marnie to sleep. Her eyes snapped open when Gloria’s voice rasped out between them.

“Why’re you here?”

The raven-haired woman sat up and rubbed her eyes as she looked at her saddened lover. “’Cause I love you.”

“That doesn’t really answer my—”

“An’ when you’re hurt, I’m hurt, too.”

The brunette quieted at that and curled her knees up to her chest. “I said some terrible things to you, back in Postwick.” She sighed shakily. “I… I made you cry.”

Marnie nodded. “Ya did.” She paused, watching Gloria’s eyes well up in tears. She didn’t want to press, but she had to make it clear to her how much her words had hurt. “Ya think I haven’t been beatin’ myself up over missin’ your phone call since I heard ya got captured? Ya think I didn’ drop everythin’ and come rushin’ to ya to get you back? I felt like my heart was crushed into a million pieces when Hop an’ Bede came to my door an’ tol’ me they took ya. It was like the Darkest Day all over again. I thought—” her hand went up to her mouth as she shut her eyes, trying to hold back her tears but failing. She finished her sentence in a whisper. “I thought you’d _died_.”

The champion scooted over and enveloped her in a tight embrace “Marnie—I—I’m so sorry.” She held her as they both sobbed against each other, recalling that dreadful day. At the time, Gloria had felt like the lowest scum of the earth for eliciting such a response from her normally stoic lover. Before she could sink into those feelings again, Marnie pulled away and wiped the tears from under her girlfriend’s eyes with her thumbs.

“Ya don’ hafta do this alone,” she mumbled. “Me an’ Hop an’ Bede… we’re all here for ya.”

“I know,” Gloria replied quietly. “And I appreciate you all so much. It’s just, sometimes, I feel like there are some responsibilities that only I should carry. It’s not fair to you guys.”

“Everythin’ we do, we want to do it,” the raven-haired woman insisted. “We—I—never want ya ta feel alone, _ever_.”

Gloria sniffled loudly and said nothing as she started crying again, Marnie joining her quietly as she hugged her tightly. They remained that way for several minutes, listening to the sounds of the trees rustling in the wind.

“Look at us,” Marnie whispered, smiling slightly as she pulled back, “totally fallin’ apart here.”

Gloria choked out a watery laugh. “We’re a mess, definitely.” Marnie joined her quiet laughter, then bumped their foreheads together. The champion kissed her tears away, then pushed a lock of black hair behind her ear.

“I really am sorry for the things I said,” she mumbled, eyes closed. “And I shouldn’t have said any of it. It’s not your fault any of that stuff happened.” She paused and opened her eyes, waiting for Marnie to follow suit before continuing. “And I love you.” She pressed the tips of Marnie’s fingers against her left breast, heart hammering under her skin. “Feel that? That’s just from being near you.”

The raven-haired woman blushed slightly and smiled. “I can’t believe I fell for such a sap.” They giggled, their noises quieting when Marnie leaned forward for a kiss. Gloria met her desperately, missing her touch, then pushed her back against her jacket, leaning over her. Marnie wrapped her arms around her neck as her lover straddled her lap, the kiss heating up.

Gloria pulled back slightly, eyelids heavy. “Marnie,” she whispered, “I want you to know that I want everything with you, for as long as we’re together.”

“Gloria…” Marnie swallowed heavily, hands trembling as she moved them to cradle her lover’s face. The champion’s heart pounded at the look she gave her, a blush rising to her cheeks. _Holy shit, this is it… she’s gonna do it!_

She was interrupted when Gloria’s phone started ringing and the brunette groaned in frustration, pressing her face against her lover’s neck. The Spikemuth Gym Leader laughed, combing her fingers through the brunette’s hair, then sat up to retrieve her phone from her bag. She frowned when she looked at the screen and prompted Gloria to look as well. Gordie’s name blinked urgently across the surface. She picked up and held the phone between them.

_“Gloria, I need your help! It’s Team Cosmos—they’re gonna blow up the Circhester Stadium!”_

-x-

Hop, Bede, Marnie and Gloria landed in front of the Circhester stadium. Around them, more Gym Leaders landed, awaiting further instruction. Gloria had sent out an urgent call to all Leaders to meet her in Circhester to deal with the threat quickly. Piers also came along (“ _jus’ in case”_ ) and Leon refused to stay in Wyndon when he heard the news. He arranged for Battle Tower trainers to stand guard over their families and rushed over with his Charizard as fast as possible.

She looked around, not seeing Gordie, and sighed.

“Alright everyone, let’s move in, but be careful! These assholes are dangerous and could be armed.” Hop clasped her shoulder and gave her a nod as he and Bede moved ahead. Leon rushed to the stadium doors, Raihan close behind, and the other Gym Leaders followed Gloria as she went forward. Piers stayed close to Marnie.

They pushed through the entrance and everyone stopped moving, looking around. Kabu crossed his arms and hummed. “Strange… why are the lights off? Where are they?”

Milo fidgeted with his straw hat. “I have a bad feeling about this.” Nessa nodded in agreement with her rival, hands on her hips. Piers’ eyes darted to all the shadows in the corner, the back of his head prickling.

“M-maybe they’re out on the p-pitch…?” Allister suggested, shuffling forward. Gloria pulled him back lightly and shook her head.

“I’ll go, bud. Stay behind me.” She went to pitch entrance and pushed past the doors, the others close. She brought Zamazenta out, Zacian coming out as well, and she and Hop led the group to the middle of the pitch. It was dark, the moon’s fading glow illuminated their path but barely. The floodlights were shut off as well, and the absence of a crowd created an eerie silent tension.

Leon, Raihan and Allister went to one tunnel and Nessa, Kabu and Milo went to the other to check for intruders. Gloria looked around suspiciously and her ears perked when she hear the telltale sound of a gun cocking back. Her eyes widened and she tackled the Spikemuth siblings as a shot rang out. _Too close!_ Piers grunted as his back made contact with the ground.

“It’s a trap!” she screamed, scrambling to stand up. She summoned Inteleon to get him to locate and take down the sniper as Piers and Marnie got back to their feet. Immediately, explosions went off around the stadium, blowing up parts of the terrain.

“Fuck! Get in the air everyone, _now!_ ”

She summoned Corviknight and forced Marnie and Piers on her, ignoring their protests.

“Gloria, the hell are ya—” Marnie squeaked when Gloria lifted her leg over Corviknight’s crouched form. The raven-haired woman held on to the bird as she tried to regain her balance, glaring lightly at her lover. Piers sighed when Gloria turned her gaze over to him and put his hands up.

“Don’ worry, I can get up on my own…” he mumbled, going behind his sister.

The brunette nodded in approval and mounted Zamazenta. Corviknight took off into the air and she moved to the stands, Inteleon close behind. Hop went to the other side with Zacian as he did the same with Bede and his Corviknight.

Allister’s Drifblim carried him over to the Spikemuth siblings and Leon rode with Charizard while Raihan took off with Flygon. Nessa, Milo and Kabu had already made it to the stands and were engaged in Pokemon battles with Team Cosmos grunts. Some grunts took to the air as well on Noiverns and Unfezants. They engaged in battle with the Corviknights and Drifblim, so Marnie, Allister and Bede led them to an unoccupied part of the stands to even out the odds and use their Pokemon.

Gloria caught Hop’s signal and looked to the centre of the pitch. There, stood Gordie, juggling a poke ball in one hand. She patted Zamazenta’s mane and directed him to get to Gordie, furious. Leon and Raihan landed behind her and approached cautiously.

“Gordie! What’s happening? Where the hell have you been?” Gloria demanded, marching up to him after dismounting. “Is anyone hurt?”

The Circhester Gym Leader laughed and shook his head. “Champ, you’ve got a lot to learn if you can’t read the situation. Why don’t you tell her, Raihan?” Gloria snapped her eyes to the Hammerlocke Gym Leader, who jumped at being addressed.

“What are you talking about man?” Raihan grumbled, scratching the back of his neck. Leon’s lips pressed into a thin line and his eyes narrowed.

“Gordie, you’re with Team Cosmos, aren’t you? And Raihan—”

“I’m not with them!” he interrupted, eyes wide. “Gordie’s just playing with you. You believe me, right?”

Leon’s betrayed look said otherwise as he stepped away. “How could you do this? They—they tried to kill my brother and Gloria!”

Raihan moved forward desperately, putting his hand out to grab Leon’s. “Mate… all I ever did was look the other way. I swear I was never involved with the deeper stuff. I told you this already.”

“How do I know that’s true?” the former champion mumbled, closing his eyes. He shook his head. “I need to think about this.”

Gordie’s cutting laughter interrupted them. He smirked. “Well, while you two get some couple’s therapy, I have an important announcement to make.” He thrust his poke ball out, facing Gloria. “I’m bringing Dynamaxing back, and we are taking _you_ out of the picture!”


	9. Riposte

“I’m bringing Dynamaxing back, and we are taking _you_ out of the picture!” Gordie yelled, his eyes wide with anger behind his glasses. Gloria rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Pfft, okay, sure. And how will you do that without a Dynamax Band, genius?” she snickered. She looked at his wrist and paled. “H-how?”

“A gift from the boss. Gave you my old one so you wouldn’t get suspicious,” Gordie explained, his smirk widening. “Clever, innit?”

Hop landed beside Gloria just then and he glared at the Circhester Gym Leader. “Gordie, how could you betray us like this?”

“Betray you?” Gordie chortled. “It’s you who have betrayed Galar! Taking away the one thing that makes us stand out amongst all the regions, the thing that saves people’s lives—you should all be arrested for treason! I’m taking you all down and helping Team Cosmos bring back our right to Dynamax!” he yelled out, backing away and throwing his poke ball in the air. He summoned his trusty Coalossal and Gigantamaxed it right away. The Pokemon surged in size and caused tremors in the terrain as it shifted its weight. Gloria, Raihan, Leon and Hop jumped back to avoid a tumbling ball of fire that landed right where they stood.

“This jackass—” the brunette fumed. “He’s trying to kill us!” Gordie’s maniacal laughter sounded across the stadium in response.

“We can do this!” Hop reminded her. His jacket sleeve snapped as he pointed at his opponent. “Behemoth Blade!”

Zacian howled and rushed forward, her blade increasing in size as she delivered a supereffective attack against the Coalossal, who roared in rage. Leon summoned his Haxorus and commanded a Dragon Rush while Raihan had Flygon use Bulldoze. Gloria hung back with Zamazenta and covered her teammates with his shield.

“Coalossal! G-Max Volcalith!” The volcano on its back erupted and shot out fiery boulders onto the battlefield. The attack was not supereffective against any of the Pokemon, but it still dealt significant damage due to its sheer power. The lava-drenched boulders impacted the pitch heavily, and the lava slowly leaked out and around the field. The terrain started to smoke from the lick of the flames, and Gloria panted as oxygen became rarer in the air.

“Guys, we have to finish this quick,” she coughed, pressing her mouth against the crook of her elbow.

Hop nodded as sweat dripped down his temple from the heat. “Behemoth Blade, again!”

Leon and Raihan glanced at each other and nodded. At the same time, they both called out a Draco Meteor attack, the combined Dragon power overwhelming the Coalossal. Zacian delivered the final blow and the massive Pokemon crumbled as its form exploded spectacularly. Zamazenta roared into a Behemoth Bash and covered the trainers as they huddled behind him, shielding them from the onslaught of fire. She ordered Inteleon to put out the flames, clearing the air slightly. When it was all over, Gloria peeked around her Pokemon to see Gordie on his hands and knees, panting heavily.

She frowned and stood up, stomping over to him and lifting him by the collar of his shirt. “You piece of fucking—” she stopped when she felt the tip of a knife press against her abdomen. She looked down, then looked back up to meet Gordie’s deranged expression as his glasses slid to the ground. “Why, Gordie? What would your mum say?”

“Don’t bring my mother into this,” he bit back, eyes narrowing. “She made her choice when she left. And now, I’m making mine, for the future of Galar!” A Staraptor cried out from above, which startled him, and a cloaked figure leapt from the Pokemon’s back, delivering a knockout kick to his head. He crumbled to the ground, unconscious, and the knife slipped from his grasp. The force of the blow knocked Gloria to her butt and she stared up at her mysterious saviour.

The person pushed their hood back to reveal an older Bea, her silver hair tied back into a short ponytail. She put a hand to her hip and held the other one out to Gloria, smirking. “Missed me, Champion?”

“B-Bea!” Gloria stuttered. “I thought you were still in Kanto?” She accepted the help and gasped when the former Gym Leader pulled her up effortlessly. _Bloody hell she’s strong._

“I heard from Allister there was some trouble, so I came back to help soon as I could. Bruno likes to stay off the grid when it comes to training, so the messages were uh… delayed.” She blushed a bit in embarrassment but smiled when Gloria clasped her shoulder.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Bea. Thank you.” She paused. “I hope this means we’re okay…”

Bea’s eyes softened and she nodded. “Yes, we are.” She looked around. “Where is my little brother, anyway?”

“R-right here!” Allister jumped off Drifblim and hugged his sister tightly. She stumbled back a bit in surprise but let out a short laugh as she patted his lower back since he towered over her. “I missed you so much!”

“Missed you too, Alli. You’re so tall now!” She pulled back to look him over fondly. Even with his mask on, he looked sheepish, toeing the ground with his foot.

Gloria giggled at their exchange, then looked down when Marnie grabbed her hand. Their eyes met and she smiled. “Glad you’re okay,” she mumbled, brown eyes shyly meeting turquoise. She heard a cough and glanced up to see Piers raising an eyebrow. “Uh, glad you’re okay, too, Piers.”

He sighed, looking more tired than ever. “We took care o’ the others. Kabu, Nessa an’ Milo are roundin’ them up.”

“Good. We’ll have to call the Galar police to collect them.”

Leon approached her, his expression solemn. “Gloria, what do you want us to do with Gordie?”

The Champion sighed. “We’ll have to put him in custody until we can contact InterPol. They’ll want to interrogate him.”

The former champion nodded. “Alright. I’ll take care of that.” He paused, his eyes flicking to the side quickly. “And… what about Raihan?”

The brunette glanced over at the Dragon tamer. He was sitting on the ground, head hung low between his knees as his arms dangled off them. “I think he was telling the truth. I wouldn’t trust anything Gordie has to say.”

Leon sighed again at that. “Sure, it’s your call, Champ.” He grinned widely. “Look at you! Turned into quite the leader.”

She blushed and looked away. “Shut it.” Hop and Bede ran up to them and she was glad for the new distraction. “Oi, Hop, what’s up?” Leon laughed and left to restrain Gordie should the man wake up.

“It’s Looker,” he panted. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of him, but so far nothing. Do you think he’s okay?”

“Have ya tried tracin’ his cell signal?” Marnie asked.

He shook his head. “He doesn’t have a Rotom phone, so I can only do that if he picks up.” Gloria’s phone rang suddenly and he looked down, shocked. She answered and looked at Hop with wide eyes. “Looker, everything okay?”

A female laughter sounded out through the speaker. _“Gloria? Is that you, babe? Nice ta hear your voice… though I do wish we coul’ spend some time together, wouldn’t ya agree?”_

Gloria’s heart sank to her stomach and she gripped her phone tightly. “Where is Looker?”

More laughter sounded from the speaker. “ _What, are ya his girlfrien’ or somethin’? He’s been better, but still alive. For now.”_

“What did you do with him?!” Gloria demanded, flicking her eyes up to Hop. He understood and pulled his phone out to run his program. All she needed to do was stall long enough for Hop to trace his signal.

 _“We gave ‘im a new makeover, figured his undercover career was jus’ ‘bout over, y’know?”_ A sigh. _“We even got ‘im some folks ta keep ‘im company! Real nice sweethearts. Not a fan of the Postwick accent, though.”_

Gloria paled and Hop nearly dropped his phone. “What—who are these folks?”

 _“Hmm? Ya mean ya haven’ figured it out yet?”_ Rustling was heard, then Stella’s scared voice came over the phone.

_“Gloria! Help us. They took me and Heather. They left the others, thank Arceus, but we’re stuck in their secret base.”_

“Mum!” Gloria yelled, panic laced in her voice. “We’re coming to get you, don’t worry.” Fear gripped her heart as she thought of all the things Dalia could be doing to her and Hop’s mums. _This bitch… when I get my hands on her._

The phone was passed over to the Team Cosmos admin, her laughter sending ice through Gloria’s heart. _“Better hurry up, Champ, or you’ll ‘ave three corpses ta bury.”_ The line went dead, and Gloria nearly crushed her phone from the grip she had on it. When Rotom protested she relinquished her hold.

She met Hop’s eyes and he nodded once.

“They’re in Wyndon, under the Battle Tower. Let’s go save ‘em.”

The trainers prepared their Corviknights, Marnie and Bede following them. They took off without another word, leaving the others behind. Leon dropped to his knees in anguish.

“This was all a trap,” he breathed, trembling. He clenched his teeth. “I can’t believe I fell for it.” Raihan clasped his shoulder and he turned to meet his determined gaze. Leon’s heart lifted slightly, seeing his old friend in there.

“Leon, don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll be alright.” He looked up at the sky, the sun slowly peeking out over the horizon. “Our Champ will take care of ‘em. For now, we gotta take care of Gordie.”

“Such a drag,” Piers sighed as he trudged towards them. “An’ ‘ere I was hopin’ for a peaceful retirement.” He looked at Raihan, noting the man had a suspicious smirk on his face. He groaned internally and braced himself.

“Oi, Piers!” Raihan grinned. “Heard ya found a lady.”

The former Gym Leader flinched. He mumbled something and Raihan blinked and leaned closer. “What was that?”

“I said: she dumped me.” Piers nearly pouted at the ensuing laughter. Even Leon let out a hearty chuckle as he stood up. Raihan masked his glee as mockery.

“Always the ladies’ man, right Piers?” Nessa teased, coming towards them. She glanced between Raihan and Piers nervously. _I swear, just watching them gives me anxiety._

“Zip it.”

“Did ya tell Marnie?” Raihan smirked as he put an arm around Piers. “I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear how ya screwed this one up this time.” He flailed his arms when Piers shoved him back with a palm to his face. “Oi!”

“Didn’ screw nothin’ up,” Piers muttered, glancing away. He coughed and turned away from Raihan, hiding a blush. “Jus’ a… difference of opinion.”

Nessa raised an eyebrow, then turned to see Leon watching their interaction with what she knew was heartbreak in his eyes. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. _Another one right from under his nose…_ A darker part of her enjoyed the sight of his pain after the trouble he’d caused her and Sonia.

Leon summoned his Charizard and climbed atop him, keeping his eyes low. “I’m gonna get some backup to take these guys. See ya soon!” He took off, leaving a confused Raihan waving up at him.

“What’s up with him?”

“Oh he’s just grossed out from all your flirting,” Nessa offered airily, waving her hand in the air. She smirked at Piers’ tired expression and Raihan’s annoyed glare. “What?”

The former Gym Leader met the Dragon tamer’s eyes, then blinked when the latter blushed and looked away. _What’s that about? What’s got him so shy all of a sudden?_ His eyes widened when Raihan walked up to him, closer than usual. _What…_

“So, uh Piers… what do you say we have a rematch sometime?” Piers deflated slightly. _Of course…_

“Sure,” he mumbled noncommittally.

Raihan tightened his hands into fists to keep them from shaking. “A-and uh, why don’t we stop by the Ferris wheel in Wyndon after? We can get some great selfies from the peak.”

Piers heart nearly stopped but his cool façade did not betray him. He crossed his arms and smirked. “Are ya askin’ me out?”

Nessa watched with bated breath, eyes wide. _IS THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW??!?!_

Raihan put a hand to his hip and frowned. “Fuck you man. Yes I’m asking you out, throw me a bone here!”

Piers chuckled. He felt like his heart was finally light after years of restraint. “I’d love nothin’ more’n tha’, Raihan.” He heard a squeal sound off to the side and nearly rolled his eyes. _Damn Nessa…_ But even that couldn’t put the stupid smile off his face. Raihan grinned and brought him into a side hug, Rotom phone out for a selfie.

-x-

“Hop, are you sure they’re—”

“For the last time, Gloria, _yes_ , I am sure our mums are here,” Hop interrupted, frustration leaking into his tone.

“Okay, _sheesh_ , just double checkin’… no need to get your knickers in a twist,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes at his glare.

“Enough.” Bede stepped forward and summoned Gardevoir. “We will use Gardevoir’s clairvoyance to find them. If they are here, it should be no trouble at all.”

The two bickering Postwick natives nodded and the Ballonlea Gym Leader softly asked Gardevoir to help. She closed her eyes and produced a green orb between her palms, images of scenery flickering across the surface. All three trainers watched, enraptured, then Gloria blinked as she looked around.

“Uh… where’s Marnie?”

A squeak caught her attention and she looked down to see Morpeko tugging at her jeans and pointing down the garden. She looked over at Hop and Bede, who were still waiting for Gardevoir to answer, then followed her lover’s Pokemon. She hadn’t even noticed Marnie slipping away and wondered what she was up to.

She found out soon once Morpeko led her to an unassuming storage locker with a biometric keypad. In front of it, Marnie was examining the door, a broken camera by her side. She turned when she heard footsteps and smiled at the champion.

“Whatcha up to?” Gloria asked, giggling when Morpeko climbed atop her shoulder to nuzzle her cheek. The current situation was bringing her mood down significantly and so she appreciated the Pokemon’s efforts to cheer her up. She scratched her chin in response and Morpeko relaxed against her.

“I think I foun’ th’ entrance to their base.”

“Really? Just looks like a storage locker to me.”

Marnie pointed at the ruined electronics by her feet. “With a high-tech camera? C’mon, love.”

Gloria blushed lightly. “Well, maybe someone is super paranoid about what they’re hiding—oh.” Her blush deepened and she avoided Marnie’s teasing gaze. The raven-haired woman turned back to the locker and shuffled over to the lock mechanism.

“Mmhmm… excellent deduction, Watson,” she mumbled as she traced her fingers around the biometric pad. “Think Hop can hack inta this?”

“Maybe. Or maybe Morpeko can give it a little jolt?”

“Tried tha’, didn’ work. ‘S insulated, somehow.”

“Huh.” Footsteps sounded behind them as Hop and Bede rejoined them.

“Their base is in through those doors,” Bede announced, pride coating his tone. He looked between Marnie and Gloria and frowned. “Did you already know this?” The women exchanged a glance and shook their heads furiously and he sighed. “Of course.”

Hop laughed and pecked his lover’s cheek. “Aw, don’t worry Bede, I appreciate you and Gardevoir.” He moved over to the pad and examined it carefully. “This is some seriously high tech. Not sure if I can hack it, but I’ll try.” Bede stood next to him to observe, curious, while Marnie returned to examining the gate. Morpeko went back to her shoulder and Gloria stood back to watch with crossed arms.

He pulled out a magnetic chip and stuck it to the pad, but just as he was about to run his program, the doors opened to reveal a group of Team Cosmos members. They paused, looked at each other, then at the four trainers, then back at each other.

“Everyone back inside!” one of them shouted, hurrying to close the doors.

“Not so fast!”

Marnie and Bede were closest to the entrance, and so they both leapt after the group. Gloria and Hop tried to follow but the doors snapped shut and locked behind them.

“Shit!” Gloria exclaimed, kicking the door lightly. “Can you get us in there?” When Hop didn’t answer, she turned to him with a frown. “Hop?”

Hop pointed up at the Battle Tower fearfully. “I think we’re gonna have to let Marnie and Bede take care of this one.”

Gloria followed his arm and gasped. Up on the Battle Tower, a familiar pink and purple storm brewed around the summit.

-x-

Marnie and Bede tumbled into the dark bunker hallway with a groan. They stood quickly and were face to face with a group of six Team Cosmos grunts. Marnie peeked behind her and sighed. “We’re on our own here, Bede.”

He smirked. “Good. Gives us a chance to do something, for once.”

Marnie couldn’t hide her own smirk as she giggled. “Hm, can’t help but agree with ya.”

The six grunts summoned their Pokemon all at once, all Swoobat that flitted chaotically in the air around them. Marnie ordered Morpeko to take half the group down with Thunder and Bede commanded his Sylveon to unleash a powerful Moonblast attack for the other half. Within half a minute, the group had surrendered and ran back further into the base, the Gym Leaders chasing after them.

“Stop!” Bede shouted. “Bring us to your prisoners!”

More grunts showed up from adjoining rooms and the two trainers met them eagerly with their Pokemon. When the grunts lost, they scrambled away in different directions.

“Let’s start tryin’ differen’ rooms,” Marnie suggested, going to a door and pushing it open. She gasped and pulled it back closed, blushing heavily.

“What?” Bede muttered. She shook her head and went to another door, this time poking her head in before opening it. She gasped again, but for a different reason, as she ducked under an Ice Shard attack from a Weavile. She looked up to see two Team Cosmos trainers, but they looked different than the average grunt.

One had spiked red hair and one had long purple hair, both wearing matching black turtlenecks with the orange ‘C’ on the front and black slacks held up by a silver belt. They also wore matching orange bandanas around their necks. The Weavile returned to the purple-haired trainer, who stepped forward and smirked.

“I see ya foun’ our trainin’ room. How ‘bout we battle for a bit?” she taunted. The man beside her grinned as his Toxtricity sidled up close. Bede came up behind her, Rapidash at his side.

Marnie frowned at the woman’s accent and narrowed her eyes. “Who are ya? Ya soun’ like you’re from Spikemuth…” She summoned Liepard, who growled menacingly.

“Oh Marnie, so good to see ya again.” The woman giggled behind her hand. “Gloria was so sad ya couldn’ be with us. Our timin’s never good, is it?”

The Spikemuth Gym Leader’s eyes widened and her hands started to shake. “You… you’re…”

“Name’s Dalia, an’ tha’s Kyle. Ya know Marnie, I used ta be on Team Yell, all those years ago. I was _in love_ with ya, but ya never gave me the time o’ day.” She smirked. “It’s only fair tha’ I got ta play with Gloria.”

The raven-haired woman jolted forward as if to strike Dalia but Bede held her back. She looked at him viciously but noticed that his eyes matched hers in intensity. _Why is he… wait, the other’s one Kyle, who…_

“Marnie,” he whispered harshly, his voice tremoring. “Dalia tortured Gloria and Kyle is the one who tried to kill Hop.” His hand squeezed uncomfortably around her shoulder. “How fortunate for them to fall right into our hands…”

She tightened her fists and glared at their opponents. “Ya got a lotta nerve showin’ your faces to us after what you’ve done.” She narrowed her eyes at Dalia. “’Specially you.”

“Nerve? No. We will crush you,” Kyle laughed, hands on his hips. “We’re Team Cosmos Admins after all!”

“Idiot!” Dalia hissed. “Why would ya tell ‘em tha’?”

Bede and Marnie exchanged a glance and nodded. “Liepard, Fake Out!”

Liepard dashed ahead and startled Toxtricity, who flinched and stepped back in surprise. Bede ordered Rapidash to unleash a Psychic that knocked Toxtricity out right away but took a hit from Weavile’s Dark Pulse. Kyle then sent out his Sharpedo and Marnie followed with a Play Rough. Liepard cried out after taking damage from Sharpedo’s rough skin ability.

“Liquidation!” Liepard took another hit but stood strong, glaring at her opponent. Rapidash galloped forward and used Stomp against Weavile, sending it slamming against the wall and busting it open. Dalia screamed at her Pokemon to climb out and he obeyed, rushing forward with a Metal Claw that brought Rapidash’s health dangerously low. Bede recalled his Pokemon and sent out Mawile to finish Weavile off with Iron Head while Marnie took Sharpedo down with another Play Rough. Liepard struggled to stand on her legs so she switched her out for Tyranitar, who whipped up a wild sandstorm in the middle of the room.

Dalia sent out her last Pokemon, a Drapion, as Kyle made to run, but Bede wouldn’t have that. He commanded Mawile to corner the admin and threaten him with her jaws. “You’re not getting away that easily.”

Kyle was sobbing as he backed away on his butt, Mawile eagerly approaching him and wrapping her teeth around his leg. She applied enough pressure for him to start screaming, then he quieted as Bede knocked the breath out of his lungs with a punch to his gut. The man twisted his knuckles against his ribs, a scowl on his face.

“That’s for almost killing my boyfriend,” he muttered, eyes narrowed. “Lucky we don’t have time else I’d give you some special treatment.” He whistled sharply at Mawile, who knocked Kyle out against the ground.

On the other side of the room, Drapion was no match for Tyranitar, who easily took it down with a powerful Stone Edge. Dalia shivered at the cold glare Marnie gave her and stepped back unconsciously. The sandstorm limited her vision and so when she blinked, her heart dropped when Marnie had disappeared from her line of sight. She felt a claw at her neck and looked up to see Tyranitar’s angry visage above her head. She screeched and backed away but bumped into his trainer. The Spikemuth Gym Leader’s arms were crossed as she looked down at the defeated admin, unimpressed.

She reached a hand out and pulled her up by the back of her shirt. “You have a lot ta answer for.”

Dalia grinned maniacally as she looked up. “Do ya know how long I’ve dreamed o’ this moment, when I would get to meet ya?” She shuddered, tipping her head back. “Marnie, oh, how thrillin’ this all is for me.”

Bede looked extremely disturbed. Marnie’s eyes glazed over as she lifted Dalia over to Tyranitar, who eagerly opened his maw.

“What ya did to Gloria… unforgivable…” she whispered. The Team Cosmos Admin finally realized what was happening and gasped, struggling against Marnie’s vice grip.

“W-wait—” she screamed. Just as her Pokemon snapped his jaw closed, Dalia was pulled back and thrown onto the ground. She looked up at Marnie in confusion and relief.

“I ain’t like ya,” Marnie explained. She paused and narrowed her eyes. “But that don’t mean I don’t want revenge.” She lifted her boot and slammed her heel against Dalia’s face and broke her nose. Blood gushed down her cheeks as she cried out in pain, clutching her face. Her head was yanked back by her hair and she met Marnie’s cold green glare.

“If I had the time, I’d do to ya what ya did to Gloria, tenfold. But as is, we don’t _have_ the fuckin’ time, so this will do. For now.”

Dalia laughed in her face. “Ya think I’m scared of ya? I’m enjoyin’ this righ’ now. It’s almost like we’re on a date.” She shivered when Marnie pulled harder on her hair.

“Your delusion ain’t worth entertainin’. An’ ya may not be scared of me, but I know how to deal with ya.” She whimpered as Marnie lifted her to a standing position and threw her for Tyranitar to catch.

“You’re gonna show us where the prisoners are, or else.”

“Or else what?” Dalia tried weakly, hoping to call out their bluff. Her nose throbbed but she held firm.

Tyranitar roared in her face and she jumped against him, nodding quickly. She stumbled away and led them back into the hallway. The two trainers followed the admin through the base, Tyranitar and Mawile behind them and threatening any grunts that tried to approach them. They passed by a room that said “Shadow Lab” which drew Marnie’s interest, but they didn’t have time to investigate as they needed to first complete their rescue mission.

Finally, they reached a room with a padlock and Dalia unlocked the door, stepping inside first. The Gym Leaders followed her in, and Marnie grunted when Stella barrelled into her with a hug. The admin leaned against the wall and slid down, noting that Tyranitar blocked the exit.

“Oh, Marnie, dear! You came, thank you!” She pulled back, tears in her eyes, then looked around in confusion. “Where’s Gloria?”

“And Hop?” Heather asked, hand clutching her chest. Bede squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

“We got separated, but I’m sure they’re trying everything they can to get here.” He looked at Marnie, who was frowning at her phone. “What’s wrong?”

“No reception.” She sighed. “Which is weird. We’re not _tha’_ far underground…”

“That’s because there’s something else interfering with the signal,” a deep voice croaked out. They all turned to see Looker, who looked like he’d seen better days. Marnie crouched near him and barked at Dalia to help undo his bindings, who obeyed begrudgingly. When he was freed, he sighed in relief. “Thank you.”

“Wha’ do ya mean there’s somethin’ interferin’ with our phones?” Marnie asked.

Looker closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I tried to warn you all, but I was caught before I could send out a message.” He opened his eyes, fear clearly contained within. “Giovanni has corrupted Eternatus and released him.”

“Corrupted?” Bede asked, frowning. “What do you mean?”

 _That Shadow Lab…_ Marnie thought, ideas clicking into place. _What could it be? Are they related somehow?_ Before she could ask Looker her questions, a tremor caused the bunker to shake. “What’s happenin’?” she asked when it ended.

The detective stood up shakily, supporting his weight against the wall. “If my intuition is correct, and it usually is, Hop and Gloria are likely facing against Rose and Giovanni, which puts them in grave danger.”

“Why?” Bede asked, fear filling his heart.

The detective breathed out slowly, shuddering. Marnie had the distinct feeling that whatever came next would shake her very core.

“Giovanni plans on killing Zacian and Zamazenta.”


	10. Eternal Darkness

Hop lowered his arm, swallowing nervously. “Did he release Eternatus already?” he asked, looking at Gloria. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists.

There it was, the storm to end all storms. Eternatus’ uncontrolled power ripping through the air and whipping up ferocious winds and clouds of lightning. She could only hope they weren’t too late to stop their plans, whatever they were.

“Looks like it, but there’s only one way to find out. Let’s get to the top of the tower!”

Hop and Gloria ran towards the base of the tower and tried to pull the doors open, but found they were locked from the inside. “Shit, now what?”

“We can try flying up,” Gloria suggested.

“I don’t think that’ll work, mate. That storm looks way too dangerous to be flying through.” Hop shook his head, banging his fist on the door.

“There is another way.” The two whirled to see Oleana, standing upright but clutching her elbows. She looked nothing like she used to. She wore ragged clothes and looked far older than she was. Her hair had been cropped short, just under her shoulders, and her eyes lacked the condescension she once held.

“O-Oleana!” the champion stuttered, surprised. “I thought you—”

“Had left Galar? the woman interrupted. “No. I was always here, hiding, waiting. But I was asked to be here, and so I am. Come, follow me.” She turned on her heel and beckoned them to her. Hop and Gloria stood, shocked, trying to process what was happening. When she saw them not moving, she sighed in irritation. “We don’t have all day.”

“R-right!” the associate professor stammered, tugging Gloria with him. They followed the blonde to a large rose bush that was blossoming beautifully. She reached her arms in and slowly spread it, prickling herself with the thorns.

“Rose,” she started, shuddering, “was a very paranoid man. He often dreamed up conspiracies of people taking him down, his own employees turning against him, outsiders invading… I’m sure by now you have discovered his secret bunker.” She grunted and held her arms out to reveal a closed metal door with a latch. “He was a truly brilliant man. Mad, deranged… but brilliant.”

Gloria looked up at Oleana’s sad eyes. “He hurt you,” she whispered. She remembered the welt she had seen on her forearm on the Darkest Day, as well as Oleana’s heart-wrenching testimonials during Rose’s trials. It was enough to make her eyes sting with the onset of tears. She glanced at the thin rivulet of blood staining her arms.

Oleana sighed and nodded. “He did,” she responded quietly. “But he saved me …” She said nothing else, creating an awkward silence between the trio.

Hop went up to the latch and pulled it open. “Where does this lead to?”

“It will take you to a secret lift that will bring you right up to the summit. You will be able to bypass all security systems and guards this way.”

“Great!” Gloria said. “Let’s get to it. Thanks, Oleana.”

“It was no trouble at all. Good luck.” She turned on her heel and left. Hop frowned lightly, then shook his head, climbing down the ladder. Gloria followed him and they dropped down into the dimly-lit tunnel. There was only one way to go, which was towards a bright light at the end, and so they started walking.

“Something on your mind Hopster?”

The man grinned and laughed. “Wow, you haven’t called me that in years.” He paused, his smile fading. “I was just wondering… do you think, maybe, Rose sent her to help us?”

“Why would he do that?”

He shrugged. “I dunno, maybe he regrets everything now that he sees what Giovanni is capable of. Can’t imagine they really knew each other all that well, or each other’s plans, until he got his hands on Eternatus.”

“Hm.” Gloria didn’t seem convinced at all, so he sighed.

“Well, it was just a thought. It could have been Looker before he was captured. Who knows? I sure don’t.” He squinted his eyes and pointed ahead. “There’s the lift, let’s go!” The duo ran the last few metres of the trip and pressed the Up button on the lift panel. It took a while, but eventually it dinged and opened its doors. They exchanged a glance, then went inside, a tense silence enveloping them. Gloria exhaled shakily and leaned back against the metallic wall, closing her eyes.

Finally, after weeks of dancing around each other, she would be coming face to face with two of the most dangerous people she had ever met. Their lives were on the line and there would be no one coming to save them, not even Leon. The whole region—possibly the world—were counting on them to put a stop to these villains, and it was enough to make her heart race with anxiety. What if they weren’t strong enough? What if Giovanni succeeded in imposing his will on the Galar region? What then?

A large, warm hand grabbed her own and she opened her eyes to see Hop, smiling but looking ahead.

“Hey, we got this, Champ. We beat ‘em before, we can definitely do it again.”

Gloria breathed in deeply and nodded. “You’re right. And we’re a lot stronger this time.” The elevator dinged and the doors opened. She leaned away from the wall, poke ball in hand.

The two stepped across the threshold and braced themselves against the onslaught of high winds and fleeting rubble. Ahead, Eternatus screeched and flailed uncontrollably. In front of it, Giovanni stood facing it, back to them, with both hands in his pockets. Beside him, there was a strange machine turned towards Eternatus that appeared to be powered on, though there was no obvious visible effect that they could see. Rose stood next to him, hand on his chin, but he turned when he heard the lift.

Gloria had expected him to smile upon seeing her, welcome her with a false warmth as he lowered his voice to seductive undertones. But he did none of that. He looked grim, resigned, as though whatever fate she’d planned for him, he’d accept it. It was enough to have her pause and do a double-take.

She looked over at Hop to see him stuck in the same trance as her, wondering why Rose had not spoken out his plans with his usual arrogance. She summoned Lucario and paced forward.

“Whatever you’re planning, it ends now!” she declared, eyes fierce and determined.

Hop let out his Cinderace. The Pokemon bowed his head and growled lowly. “It’s over, Giovanni, Rose!”

They heard a maniacal laughter, but it did not come from Rose. Rather, it seeped out of Giovanni, slow and unassuming, then loud and chaotic. He seemed a little unhinged, then turned around and faced them with perfect clarity in his eyes. “Oh, they do tell the best jokes in Galar, that much is true.”

The Postwick natives shared a look. “What do you mean?” Hop inquired, glancing between Rose and Giovanni.

“Have you truly not figured it out yet?” the man chuckled. “My, I am disappointed… Rose, you had told me these were the best, on par with my own troublesome situations back home.” He slipped his hands out of his pockets and extended his arms out. “I am not from this region… in fact, I am not from this world at all!”

“Not from this—” Gloria’s eyes widened slightly as a vague vision flashed across her eyes. She gazed around at the storm but noticed a key difference from the last Darkest Day. _No portals… is he saying that he came out of one of those six years ago?!_

“I see our Champion has figured it out.” Giovanni smirked. “A shame our esteemed Professor has not put the pieces together…”

“It’s a little absurd, don’t ya think,” Gloria interrupted, frowning. “I doubt he’d believe me unless he saw it for himself. You came out of those portals Eternatus brought out six years ago, didn’t you?”

Hop’s jaw dropped in shock. “P-portals? What?!”

“She speaks the truth,” Rose interjected, crossing his arms and averting his gaze. “Eternatus’ power is so strong, it rips through the fabric of spacetime. It is said that when Arceus first created the beings of Time, Space and Antimatter, Dialga, Palkia and Giratina, it took whatever was left and created Eternatus. Thus, its powers consist of a combination of all three beings of creation, albeit in much weaker form. It is why it is able to create a new type of matter, that being Galar particles.”

“And how does this involve you, Giovanni?” Hop asked, narrowing his eyes at the smirking man.

“I was minding my own business in my home world, in the Kanto region. I had been bested by a talented trainer, Red, when the portal appeared beneath my feet and sucked me away.” Giovanni’s eyes glazed over as he recalled the sensation of teleporting between dimensions. “It was excruciating. I must have gone through a thousand portals. My body felt as though it were ripped to shreds and put back together a million times over. I finally emerged over the Wild Area, though I did not know this at the time. It took me a few months to get my bearings and understand this world. Luckily, I had been carrying my Pokemon at the time, and I could rely on them, at least.”

“I’m guessing you’re the one who broke Rose out, then?” Gloria filled in the gaps, everything finally clicking into place.

Giovanni clapped slowly. “Correct. I learned of this mysterious Rose character by chance. It was quite the televised trial; you Galarians love humiliating your criminals from coast to coast. I needed only to ask a few questions _nicely_ and I learned of where he was being kept. The rest is, as you say, history.”

“Why are you doing all this? What is your goal?”

“Must I repeat myself?” he sighed. “It matters not. You will die, and so will your precious beasts, and this world will be shrouded in eternal darkness.” He pulled a pokeball out and summoned his first Pokemon, a Nidoqueen, and Rose followed with his Excadrill.

The Nidoqueen roared and Excadrill whet his claws against each other eagerly. Hop and Gloria exchanged a glance and nodded, falling into perfect synchrony. Lucario and Cinderace rushed forward, the Fire-type preparing a Pyro Ball to fire at the Steel-type and the Fighting-type meeting Nidoqueen’s Horn Attack with a Bone Rush. Excadrill took the hit and slid back, grunting, then launched an Earthquake attack. The impact was enough to send Nidoqueen toppling back, taking the Bone Rush and fainting. Cinderace fainted as well, his defenses not able to sustain the powerful attack. Lucario dropped to one knee, exhausted.

Giovanni snapped his eyes over to Rose angrily. The former Chairman combed his hair back and ignored his partner’s furious glare. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Our goal is to defeat them. Let’s not lose sight of that.” Rose narrowed his eyes at Hop. “I’m surprised Leon has not made an appearance yet.”

Hop summoned Corviknight, who swooped near Lucario and picked him up. “He’s busy cleaning up the mess you made in Circhester!” he answered scathingly. “I can’t believe you’ve roped Gordie into your sick schemes, Rose!”

“Ah, yes, Gordie… a shame, really. He had so much potential.” Nidoking bellowed for his fallen mate as Giovanni summoned him and struck up his own Earthquake, weakening Excadrill significantly. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. “I never imagined you to be so petty, Giovanni.”

“An eye for an eye. Nidoking, Smack Down!” The attack made contact with Corviknight and brought him and Lucario to the ground. The latter was quick to rise up on his feet and deliver another Bone Rush attack. Gloria’s face paled when the Nidoking sidestepped and brought his tail up to slam her Pokemon against the ground. Lucario glared up at his opponent.

“Extremespeed!” Nidoking blinked in surprise when the Pokemon beneath him disappeared then grunted when the attack landed against his soft belly. He met Lucario’s fierce gaze with his own infuriated glare.

“Earth Power.” The ground rumbled beneath Lucario’s feet, then a massive column of lava and earth shot up from the ground, shooting Lucario up into the air. He landed at Gloria’s feet, passed out, and she clenched her fists.

“Corviknight!” On the other side of the battlefield, Corviknight took a Stone Edge attack and retaliated with Revenge, dealing double damage to the Excadrill. Both Pokemon panted heavily as they eyed each other, then collapsed simultaneously.

Gloria and Hop sent out Inteleon and Boltund respectively while Rose sent out Bronzong. In the background, Eternatus’ screeches reached a higher pitch and intensity, but Giovanni seemed unphased. He slid his hands into his pockets, watching the two opposite him calmly. “Nidoking, Earthquake.”

“Oh no you don’t!” Gloria yelled. “Snipe Shot, Inteleon! Knock him out!” Inteleon lined up his shot and fired it before Nidoking could lift his foot up, sending him flying back. When he did not get back up, Giovanni sighed and recalled him.

“Bronzong, use Trick Room!”

“Boltund, use Crunch!”

Boltund’s Crunch attack landed on the Bronzong, injuring it heavily, but it pushed out its Trick Room attack, changing the air on the battlefield. Gloria felt a drop of sweat slide down the side of her head. Her heart beat erratically as she looked across into Giovanni’s cold eyes. He sent out his next Pokemon, a Golem, and called out his next attack.

“Magnitude!” Bronzong’s Levitate ability granted it immunity to the attack, but Boltund and Inteleon were not so lucky as the former fainted from the rank 8 Magnitude. Bronzong unleashed a Gyro Ball attack, which Inteleon also took. He stayed up, but just barely, and Gloria called out a Hydro Pump attack which landed on Golem. His Sturdy ability kept him up, and the Rock Pokemon grinned menacingly at his opponent. Inteleon’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he collapsed, exhausted.

Hop sent out Snorlax and Gloria sent out Ninetails, and thanks to the Trick Room, Hop was able to move first. He had Snorlax deliver a Body Slam to Golem, knocking the weakened Pokemon out. Bronzong retaliated with a Psychic attack, which the giant Pokemon took heftily. Ninetails leapt over Snorlax’s head, Inferno building in her jaw, and delivered it point blank to her opponent. Both Pokemon were recalled by their respective trainers and replaced with Bisharp and Sandslash.

“I see why you two are so highly regarded in this region,” Giovanni complimented, clapping his hands. “Your skills and talent as trainers are nothing to mock.”

“Shut it,” Gloria growled. “We don’t need someone like you to tell us we’re good at what we do.”

Giovanni’s easy smirk dropped to a frown. “Sandslash, use Sandstorm!” A fierce sandstorm whipped around the four battling Pokemon and their trainers, though only Gloria and Hop were affected by the tumultuous winds and battering sand.

Hop covered his face with his arms. “The Wishing Stars you stole from us—what did you do with them?”

Rose barked out an uncharacteristic laugh. “ _Stole?!_ From _you?_ I was merely repossessing _my_ private collection.”

“Answer the question!”

“We used them all! Eternatus has now been fully restored and is more powerful than ever! Once the conversion process has been completed, he will be fully under my control,” Giovanni supplied, his eyes widening in excitement. “And I will use him to put you and your beasts _down_.”

Gloria’s panicked gaze met Hop’s. “Did he say he wants to kill us and Zacian and Zamazenta?”

“I think so,” Hop said gravely. “What does he mean by conversion process? What’s that machine doing?”

“Keep your mind in the battle! Bisharp, Guillotine!”

“Whoa!” Hop exclaimed as the Bisharp headed straight for him. Snorlax roared and used a Hyper Beam attack, pushing her away from his trainer. Though the attack was not very effective, it still dealt a blow to her vitality. Ninetails followed up with a Flamethrower attack and Bisharp went down. Snorlax and Ninetails flinched from the sandstorm but held strong as they waited for the next commands. At that moment, the Trick Room dissipated, returning the speed priorities back to normal.

Rose summoned Perrserker, the Pokemon growling heavily at his opponents. Ninetails flicked her tails around menacingly as she puffed her chest out. Snorlax shifted his weight and glared at Sandslash as she whet her claws.

“Sandslash, use Dig!” The Sandslash jumped and burrowed her way underground. Gloria felt herself growing anxious as her eyes surveyed the scene, wondering where she would come out from. _Ninetails is totally at a disadvantage here… let’s not waste any time!_

“Ninetails, Flamethrower on Perrserker!”

“I don’t think so, Gloria! Perrserker, use Fake Out!” Perrserserk growled and rushed to startle Ninetails, but was suddenly stopped by Snolax’s massive body. The Pokemon completely blocked off the pre-emptive strike and wrapped his thick arms around the feline, ensnaring him in his grip. Ninetails paused, Flamethrower building in her jaw.

“Gloria, do it! Snorlax’s Thick Fat can handle it!”

Gloria swallowed nervously but nodded. “Okay, Hop! Ninetails!” Her Pokemon unleashed the fiery attack upon command. Snorlax grunted in complaint but his slight discomfort was nothing compared to the searing pain that Perrserker felt, evident by his struggle to escape and his cries.

The onslaught was interrupted suddenly by Sandslash as she tore through the terrain and delivered a knock-out blow to Ninetails. This was enough to startle Snorlax and relax his grip slightly, giving Perrserker an opening to leap out and twist in the air to deliver a critical hit Slash attack. Snorlax held on long enough to shoot a wild Hyper Beam that hit both Perrserker and Sandslash. All four Pokemon passed out simultaneously.

“What an interesting development,” Giovanni commented, picking out another poke ball. He sent out his Dugtrio next to meet Gloria’s Corviknight and Hop’s Dubwool as Rose sent out his Steelix. At that point, the Sandstorm had ended. “Dugtrio, use Sand Attack.”

The mud attack landed on Dubwool, startling him and covering his eyes. “Dubwool, Double-Edge!” He bleated and charged forward, but accidentally knocked into Corviknight.

“Hop, be careful, damn it!”

“Sorry!”

“Steelix, Iron Tail!” Steelix’s massive tail swung down between Gloria and Hop, knocking them away with pieces of the terrain. The champion grunted as she landed on the ground, slightly out of breath. She looked to see if Hop was okay just as he stood, aided by Dubwool. He cleared the sand from his eyes and Gloria commanded her next attack.

“Corviknight, use Brave Bird!” She aimed for the Dugtrio but the Pokemon sunk into the ground at the last second, so she pulled her body back up into the air and did a loop before hovering in one place, wings flapping impatiently. “Steady, girl…” Gloria muttered, eyes watching the battlefield. She looked up to see Giovanni smirk at her and clenched her fists. “Back to me now!”

Corviknight crowed and divebombed towards her trainer, her intelligent red eyes immediately spotting the trail of upturned tiles heading toward the champion. Her body glowed and she slammed into the ground, Brave Bird making contact with Dugtrio. The impact proved too much for the Pokemon and they passed out.

The steel bird landed next to her trainer, earning a grateful pet as she breathed a sigh of relief. “That was way too close.” She looked over to see Hop battling Steelix valiantly with Dubwool, Rose watching them quietly. Dubwool set up a sturdy Cotton Guard to boost his defenses and took massive damage from Steelix before unleashing a powerful Reversal attack. Steelix roared angrily and brought down another Iron Tail attack. This time, Corviknight flew and pushed Dubwool out of the way, taking the blow as it slammed her into the ground, cracking the tiles.

Gloria and Hop gasped but sighed in relief when her Pokemon twitched. Gloria recalled her and sent out Roserade as Giovanni released Rhyperior. Hop eyed the contraption behind Giovanni carefully as Eternatus let out another screech.

“That machine… I’m getting the feeling that there’s more to it than just controlling a Pokemon,” he muttered, his voice heard only by Gloria. The brunette nodded in agreement.

“Yea, Giovanni said something about it closing Pokemon’s hearts. I don’t know what that means, but it sounds dangerous.”

“Do you think—” Hop stopped himself, shaking his head. “Nah, can’t be.”

“What?”

“I’m just wondering if Zacian and Zamazenta—”

“Hop look out!” Gloria tackled Hop to the ground as Rhyperior sent a boulder their way. It flew past them and was whipped up into the storm. The high winds and other debris cracked and shattered it, adding more dust and rocks into the air swirling around them.

Gloria got to her feet and helped Hop up as he staggered forward. “Roserade, Leaf Storm!” Her Pokemon whipped up a massive torrent of leaves and hurled them towards Rhyperior, who took the attack dead on. Steelix attempted an attack but Dubwool rushed forward with one final Double-Edge attack, knocking them out as well as himself from the recoil.

Rhyperior lowered his arms and grinned, panting. Gloria gasped in surprise. “Sturdy, again?!”

“Do not be so surprised, Gloria. Rhyperior, use Earth Power!”

Roserade’s eyes widened before she was launched into the air by a surge of molten lava and earth, taking significant damage. She pirouetted in the air to regain her balance and glanced down at Gloria, who immediately understood. “Magical Leaf!”

The colourful leaves tunneled away from the Grass type towards the beast and landed a direct hit. Rhyperior grunted before going down to one knee, then falling forward onto his stomach. Gloria and Hop exchanged a glance when Giovanni and Rose appeared to not be worried at all.

“Do you really think this is the end?” the man taunted, one hand in his pocket. “You seem to be forgetting something… and you might need help from your special friends to win.”

Hop narrowed his eyes suspiciously as Rose pulled out his final poke ball. Over his wrist, his Dynamax Band glittered in the pink glow of the electric storm. He summoned Copperajah and Gigantamaxed her immediately.

“Gloria, I will show you that you are wrong,” he said, his voice level and calm. “I will make you understand that we, as a region, as a _culture_ , need Dynamaxing to survive this harsh world. We are running out of time, don’t you see? In four years, this region will not be able to sustain our lives. We will not be able to grow and expand.”

The champion shook her head. “You’re wrong, Rose. Dynamax Energy is a shortcut, a cheap trick based on Eternatus’ suffering. Do we really want to be the kind of people that gain something from hurting others?”

“Eternatus’ suffering?” Giovanni echoed, his smirk widening. “Oh, what you’ve subjected it to before is nothing compared to what we’ve—what _I’ve_ —done to it.”

Gloria turned her furious gaze over to him. “ _What did you do to my Pokemon!”_

“Why don’t you summon your Legendary beasts and find out?”

Hop narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw. “Gloria… I have a bad feeling about this. I don’t want to send out Zacian and I don’t think you should send out Zamazenta.”

A bead of sweat slid down Gloria’s temple as her gaze rose up to Copperajah. “I’ll try to finish this with Roserade. If it really gets bad, we won’t have a choice.”

He nodded. “All right, you got this.” He turned around and rummaged in his bag for a Full Restore and White Herb. “’Least I could do is heal your Pokemon.” He sprayed Roserade with the potion and gave her the herb to chew on. She giggled in happiness and smiled gratefully.

“Thanks, mate.” She turned back to the giant Pokemon and pointed at her. “Okay, Roserade, up you go! Stun Spore!”

Roserade dashed up along Copperajah’s trunk and twirled in front of her head, spraying out yellow spores in a tight radius. Copperajah bellowed in protest and stumbled back, but the status effect had already taken hold and she was paralyzed. She remained motionless for her turn, giving Gloria an opportunity to send out her next attack.

“Alright, Roserade, Magical Leaf!”

She dropped the attack from above, but it did not seem to affect Copperajah at all. Soon, it was her turn to move, and she broke free from the paralysis to deliver a G-Max Steelsurge. Massive green spikes popped out of the battlefield, crossing directly across Roserade. The attack cut straight through her, delivering a one hit KO as Copperajah’s raw power and intensity proved too much for her weak defenses. She collapsed in front of Gloria, exhausted.

Gloria exhaled shakily. “Hop…”

“Yea. I know.”

Giovanni, now near his machine, laughed at them. “Go on! Send them out!” He put his fist in the air and Eternatus shrieked in response, flailing wildly.

“Giovanni, this is the end for you!” Rose turned towards him and directed Copperajah’s attention towards Eternatus. “You are not worthy of Galar!”

Giovanni did not seem surprised, but Gloria and Hop’s jaws dropped simultaneously. “It was only a matter of time before you turned traitor, Rose, but I expected your loyalty to stretch a little further than the climax of the battle. You know the consequences of your betrayal.”

“Yes, I do. And I know that your vision is inferior to mine. Champion Gloria and I may not agree on the means, but we both love this region and this people more than you, and I refuse to stand by and allow you to enslave its people.”

“Then perish.” Giovanni shifted his stance and pointed at him. “Eternatus, Dynamax Cannon.” The Pokemon roared but obeyed, producing a powerful beam of pure Dynamax energy from its pink orb. Copperajah screeched in agony as the attack hit. Explosions sounded across the Pokemon’s body as she returned to her normal size and fainted. Rose was far too close and the blast knocked him away roughly. His body slammed on the ground and he was sure he’d broken his arm from how it was angled. He bit down his screams as he lifted his gaze up. Giovanni stood over him, Eternatus’ body folding around chaotically as it moved behind his figure.

“Such a tragic story,” he commented, “so selfless and so willing to die for your cause… allow me to aid you in that.” He lifted his heel but paused when two fierce roars shook the air around him

Zacian and Zamazenta came out in their Crowned forms, Zacian tightening her jaw around the hilt of her sword as she growled. Zamazenta simply looked ahead stoically, assessing his opponent. Their abilities boosted their attack and defense stats and their trainers called out their next moves.

Gloria ran forward with Hop. “Leave him alone, Giovanni! Your battle is with us now! Behemoth Bash!”

“Behemoth Blade!”

The Pokemons’ forms changed as they released their signature moves, leaping into the air. Zacian’s sword increased in size and glowed blue, while Zamazenta’s mane solidified into a shield. Giovanni backed away, leaving Rose’s body as he let Eternatus advance forward. The wolves cut through the beast as they weaved around the Pokemon. When the attack was over, the duo returned to their trainers and stood at attention, tense and waiting for the next play.

“Eternatus, Dynamax Cannon!”

Zamazenta quickly got into position and stiffened his mane to protect the trainers behind him. Zacian rushed under the beam and attacked with a Moonblast. While they were distracted, Giovanni pushed a few buttons and pulled the lever, directing the dish of the machine towards Gloria and Hop.

Rose watched quietly, war waging internally within. _What do I do?_ _I was fully prepared to end Giovanni, but I was not expecting Eternatus to be completely under his command. Now, I have no Pokemon, and he will… he is going to corrupt Zacian and Zamazenta!_ He heard a distant _ding!_ and turned his head thoughtlessly, wondering who could possibly be up here at this moment.

When his eyes met Oleana’s, his breath caught in his throat.

-x-

“Mister Chairman, sir, I have the latest report on Leon’s progress. It seems he is doing well as our young Champion, though he seems to lack… foresight.”

“Oleana, how many times do I have to tell you: sir is my father!” Rose laughed, standing up from his desk chair. He rounded his desk to touch her cheek gently. “And between us, Rose is just fine.” His eyes lowered to her lips then back up. She leaned forward slightly, almost unconsciously, and he backed away. When she realized what she had done, she straightened and tried to fight down a rising blush.

“S-sorry, sir—erm, Mister Chair—uhh, Rose.” She slumped slightly at his laughter and cleared her throat. “Rose,” she said more confidently, “Leon has shown tremendous talent as a trainer, but he requires a mentor. Someone with worldly experience, someone who can direct him to become Galar’s Champion.” She paused, more for dramatic effect. “I believe that should be you.”

He raised an eyebrow when he returned to his seat, shuffling his papers around. “Oh? And why is that?”

“Because, Rose, nobody in this region loves Galar more than you do, and you have a vision for us that surpasses all of our imaginations put together. You would be the perfect fit to mould the Champion into Galar’s greatest asset.”

“Mould the Champion, hm?” he muttered, mulling over the thought. He grinned and leaned back, snapping his fingers. “That’s brilliant, Oleana!” He sighed wistfully. “And to think you were that awful man’s secretary, oh his name escapes me at the moment.”

“It does not matter.”

“Exactly!” He stood up suddenly again and walked up to Oleana, grabbing her hands in his. “He does not matter. But you, my dear, matter… you matter to me.” Her breath hitched as he cupped her cheek softly, leaning in to press his lips against hers. She gripped the front of his jacket tightly, then dropped it as she swung her arms around his neck and pressed into him. He chuckled against her lips then backed into his desk, sitting on it and pulling her closer.

-x-

Oleana wondered if the same memory that crossed her mind crossed Rose’s as their eyes met. It had been a long six years. When had things gone so wrong between them? When had he lost his valour in his pursuit for a better future for Galar? And why was he actively aiding a man so bent on achieving absolute power? This was not the Rose she’d grown to love… but he looked injured. Had he stood up against Giovanni? And he had called for her… she believed there was still hope for him. For them.

A hand on her shoulder jolted her from her thoughts and she turned to meet Marnie’s concerned eyes. Beside her, Bede pretended not to care but she could tell that he was worried. His tapping foot gave it away, as it always did. She offered a small nod that she hoped was reassuring.

“Go, you must help Gloria and Hop,” she whispered softly. The two trainers exchanged a glance and Bede sighed.

“Oleana, do not do something reckless, please. Stay here and do _not_ approach Rose. He could still be dangerous.”

“Understood.”

He narrowed his eyes but shook his head in acquiescence, following Marnie out onto the battlefield. Oleana watched as Rose opened his mouth then closed it, his eyes staring at her unblinkingly. She tore her eyes away from his to look at Marnie and Bede as they rejoined their partners.

Then, something strange happened.

Zacian and Zamazenta twitched when they landed after delivering another blow on Eternatus. They paused, then whimpered simultaneously as they shook their heads. Zacian whimpered louder and Zamazenta howled, his body trembling. Giovanni laughed maniacally and clapped.

“And so, this dreadful story has come to an end,” he started, walking forward slowly. Eternatus twisted around behind him, following him and towering over the trainers. Gloria gripped Marnie’s hand tightly as she watched, horrified, while her partner Pokemon thrashed on the ground.

Bede put his arm out to protect Hop, great ball in hand, while Marnie summoned her Grimmsnarl between her and Giovanni. The brunette glared at the ruthless man as he calmly stood in front of them, both hands in his pockets.

“What did you do to them?” Gloria demanded.

“I have converted them,” he answered, “soon, they will be under my complete command. Well, that is not true, rather, I will have the ability to put them under my command. You see, they have become Shadow Pokemon.”

Marnie’s eyes widened in recognition. _That was in his lab! He was working on this all this time!_

Giovanni continued. “These are Pokemon whose hearts and memories have been locked closed. Pokemon who have forgotten what it means to love and be loved, who know nothing but fear and terror and hatred.” He smirked widely. “In other words, the perfect moulds for instruments of destruction.”

“NO!” Gloria screamed, lunging forward. Marnie held her back and Bede did the same for Hop, tears streaming down both their faces. “Zacian! Zamazenta! Don’t you recognize us?”

Zamazenta growled as he turned his head to face her, head bowed low. His eyes seemed to look past her, and her head ached as his pain transferred to her. She clutched her head, eyes squinted. “Zamazenta…”

“Zacian! You can beat this!” Hop shouted. “You’ve done it before, you can do it again! Remember the Wishing Stars? You’re strong, you and Zamazenta!”

“It’s useless, their hearts and minds are closed.” Giovanni backed away, chuckling. “I think it will be fitting for them to end you.”

Zamazenta barked and lunged at Bede, who brought out Rapidash to meet him head on. The Pokemon’s heads collided and they pushed against each other, Rapidash huffing in challenge and Zamazenta growling. She used a Dazzling Gleam attack as he surged forward with Iron Head, both Pokemon taking damage as the combined impact blasted them away from each other.

Zacian stepped forward, adjusting the sword in her maw, then slammed it against Grimmsnarl’s bulky forearm. Marnie pursed her lips then ordered a Hammer Arm attack. Grimmsnarl obeyed and lifted his other arm up and slammed it down on Zacian’s head, the Pokemon crushed between his fist and the floor below. Zacian growled and her eyes glowed as she released a Moonblast attack, pushing him away. He grunted and adjusted his stance, lifting his arms up defensively.

Oleana looked back to where Rose had been laying then gasped when she noticed he was gone. She glanced around then saw he was at the machine Giovanni had operated earlier, a brick in his hand. One arm appeared to bend unnaturally, likely broken, and she decided that she had to help him. Giovanni was gleefully watching the trainers fight against their Pokemon, distracted, so she ran to Rose’s side and plucked the brick from his shaking hand.

He looked down at her in shock, as though not believing that she would be here, by his side, after all these years, after all he’d done…

“Oleana…” he mumbled, eyes shining. “I’m so sorry, I truly never meant to hurt you. I don’t know what came over me. I thought that my actions were justified. And… I… I don’t deserve you.”

“Rose,” she said, other hand going up to cup his stubbled cheek. “It’s not up to you to determine what I deserve. That choice is solely mine.” She took his hand and held it over her heart. “And you have shown me today, Chairman, that you are capable of doing the right thing.”

She turned and smashed the brick against the machine a few times. It shuddered, then smoke started to rise as it became too damaged to function. A small explosion sounded from the inside and Rose grabbed Oleana’s hand to pull them away from the contraption as flames erupted. Giovanni turned to see what the commotion was and his eyes widened in rage.

“What have you done!” he screamed, stomping over to them. “Eternatus, end them!”

Rose looked at Oleana, tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He pushed her away just as the blast shot through him. He fell to his knees and screamed in pain as the energy beam overwhelmed him.

“ROSE!” the blonde screamed, running over to him. Bede’s ears perked and he looked away from the battle. He saw Rose on one hand and both knees, his whole body burned and smouldering. Oleana crouched next to him as she attempted to help him up. And Giovanni slowly walking towards them, arrogance coating his steps.

He watched as Rose lifted his head in defiance, his angry glare and his set jaw visible to him even from where he was standing. He watched as Giovanni pulled Oleana up by her hair and shoved her away, ignoring her cries for help. He watched as Rose was lifted into the air by the collar of his shirt and brought to the edge of the tower, winds whipping his hair and clothes around. And finally, he watched as Rose met his eyes over Giovanni’s shoulder, as the man who raised him brought his working arm around the towering man’s neck and pulled both of them over the edge.

_“What’s your name, child?”_

_“Bede.”_

_“Bede, hmm? What an interesting name!”_

_“Not really,” Bede mumbled. “It’s a vegetable, you know, beet.”_

_“Ah, well that makes both of us, then! My name is Rose.”_

_“A rose isn’t a vegetable, it’s a flower!” Bede pouted as Rose laughed then ruffled his hair._

_“Young Bede… even vegetables produce flowers.” He paused. “Maybe not beets, but who says you have to follow your namesake?” He smiled warmly and crouched down to the boy’s level. “One day, you will blossom into a beautiful flower, maybe a rose, who knows? Only you will decide…”_

“DAD!” Bede screamed, his cry ending in a sob. Hop immediately wrapped his arms around him, his partner struggling violently to be freed and go after the man who had been everything to him. “CHAIRMAN! ROSE!”

“Stop, Bede!” Hop shouted. “He’s gone,” he whispered, tightening his hold. “That storm… he’s gone. I’m so sorry, love.”

Bede fell to his knees as he sobbed uncontrollably, clutching Hop’s sweaty shirt. The man kept his arms wrapped around him as he crouched on one knee. He peeked over his head to see Rapidash battling on her own. He gripped Bede’s shoulders and met his eyes with a fierce look.

“Bede, you can’t let Rapidash fight on her own! Get it together! We’ll mourn him after, okay? We need to end this, _now_.”

Bede sniffled and nodded, getting to his feet. “Alright.” He looked over to see Oleana sobbing on the ground, looking over the edge of the tower, then forced his eyes back around. “Rapidash, Dazzling Gleam, once more!”

Gloria tore her eyes away from Oleana’s slumped form and put her arms out to catch Marnie as she stumbled back from another one of Zacian’s deadly offensive blows. Even though she had not taken a direct hit, the Pokemon seemed to not mind aiming for her directly if she was too close to Grimmsnarl. “Are you okay?” the brunette asked, brushing her hair back.

“Yea, jus’ gotta keep on th’ offensive. Think Grimmsnarl’s gettin’ tired.”

“Switch out for Morpeko and paralyze her.”

“Good idea.” She recalled Grimmsnarl and sent out her tiny Pokemon, Morpeko squeaking in greeting. “Nuzzle!”

Morpeko bounded ahead and headbutted Zacian, passing on a paralysis status condition. This seemed to anger Zacian further as she bellowed in fury. She turned her attention onto Marnie, not seeing Morpeko, and rushed at her directly. Marnie gasped and turned around and wrapped her arms around Gloria and pushed both of them to the ground. She screamed and spasmed as Zacian’s sword cut through her leather jacket and across her back. Blood seeped out of the wound, and when Zacian looked down, she seemed startled. Morpeko came rushing in at that moment with an Electric Aura Wheel and made direct contact, launching Zacian away from her trainer.

Gloria’s head knocked against the floor as she was pushed back, and when she stopped seeing double, she saw Marnie unmoving on top of her, her back soaked in red. Panic gripped her heart as she shook Marnie, her stomach filling with ice.

“Marnie!” she yelled, shaking her vigorously. “Don’t die on me now! Please!” She hiccupped as a sob tore her throat. An earth-shattering screech caught her attention and she looked up to see Eternatus’ orb glowing brighter than she’d ever seen. The air around it glitched and soon, two holes appeared in the middle of the sky. Blurry landscapes could be seen in their depths, one yellow and the other green.

Eternatus shrieked again, then whipped up strong winds around all of them. Gloria had the presence of mind to recall Morpeko and place her back on Marnie’s belt as Bede did the same with Rapidash. The chaotic gusts swirled around them all and lifted them up. Zacian and Zamazenta were thrusted into the green and yellow portals, respectively, their howls heard from beyond the other dimensions.

Due to the unpredictable turbulence, Marnie was ripped from her hands and sent into the green portal, Hop following her. Bede and Gloria were thrown into the yellow portal, then both were sealed closed with another powerful roar from Eternatus.


	11. Zamazenta

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY EVERYONE!! So sorry for missing out on yesterday's update. Life has been hectic for me recently. I've decided to upload everything else together just so that it doesn't happen again!
> 
> Thanks to everyone for reading and keeping up with my crazy imagination haha! This was super fun :)

Gloria and Bede tumbled through the portal and landed headfirst in a sand dune. Bede calmly stood up and dusted himself off, then turned to see the Champion struggling to pull herself free, butt wiggling in the air. He sighed and gripped her waist, pulling her out and tumbling back into the sand. He clenched his jaw in irritation and shoved her away. She turned to him and narrowed her eyes.

“The hell’s your problem?” she muttered, standing up.

Bede took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying not to let out all his anger on her. _It’s not her fault… she doesn’t deserve to be yelled at, despite how good it would make me feel._ He grit his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut. _Rose… I can’t believe he’s—_

“I’m worried about Hop,” he muttered, accepting her helping hand. He patted his hands down his outfit, flicking away grains of sand. Sweat slid down the side of his face, the harsh sun already heating his body. He removed his light jacket and tied it around his head, ignoring Gloria’s curious giggles.

“You ought to do the same, unless you want to die of a heat stroke,” he suggested, smirking at her stricken expression.

She grumbled and removed her flannel, revealing her gray tank top, and wrapped it around her head as well. She put a hand over her eyes and squinted at the horizon. “There’s literally nothing here. Where are we, anyway?”

“As if I would know.” Bede paused and put a hand to his chin. “Zamazenta came through here, correct? Do you think he landed where we did?”

The champion shrugged, and it immediately annoyed Bede at how nonchalant she was at the whole ordeal. “Dunno, but I hope that’s the case. Then he might have left tracks for us to follow.”

She squatted and started to inspect the ground, though was careful not to dig her hands into the scalding sand for too long. He crossed his arms and scoffed.

“How are you so calm right now?” he asked. She met his gaze and blinked.

“You think I’m calm?” she laughed, shaking her head. She stood up and walked over to him, then patted his shoulder. “I’m shittin’ myself, mate. We just went through a portal to follow my crazy Pokemon, left a rampaging pissed off Legendary alone in Galar and our partners are also stuck in another portal. Also, Marnie might be fucking dead!” She exhaled shakily and bowed her head. “This is literally the worst thing to ever happen. But we can’t afford to freak out now. We don’t have that luxury. We need to move forward and find Zamazenta and the others and figure out how we can get the hell back to Galar.”

“Good to see Marnie’s had a positive influence on you,” he mumbled, stepping away from her and walking toward a suspicious indent in the ground.

“Yea… she really is perfect,” Gloria smiled warmly, then jumped when Bede called her name. She ran over to his crouched form, then stopped when he put an arm out.

“Recognize these?”

The brunette looked down at the paw print, tracing her fingers carefully over the shape. “Zamazenta, no doubt about it.” She looked up and pointed ahead. “Look, more prints. We should follow these before they get swept by the sand.”

“Good idea.” Bede stood up and sighed. “I just hope these lead somewhere with some shade.”

Gloria rubbed her eyes, suddenly feeling the last twenty-four hours hit her all at once. “Honestly, I just want a nice rock to crawl on and take a nap. I’m exhausted.”

The blonde nodded and yawned as though just the thought of taking a nap tired him. “We better start moving before we’re completely drained of energy.”

The two trekked through the desert, occasionally spotting a crumbled pillar jutting out of the sand, or the remains of an arch. Sweat poured down their bodies, their clothes damp and clinging to their figures. Gloria smacked her lips together, thirsty, and Bede sneezed when a gust of wind pushed sand up his nostrils. They kept a close eye on the trail ahead, stopping to make sure they were Zamazenta’s every once and a while, then trudging forward.

“My skin is going to hate me after this,” Gloria complained, rubbing her burnt shoulders. She glanced over at Bede, seemingly drowning in his long tee. “How are you holding up?”

“Barely,” he grunted, flapping his collar for a breeze. “But we need to keep moving.”

Gloria sniffed and looked ahead, bored. There was still nothing interesting in sight. The desert seemed endless. She squinted her eyes and spotted a cactus, rushing to it eagerly. “Bede! Look at this!” She put her hands out to touch the plant.

“Gloria, wait no!” It was too late as the cactus turned around and jumped in shock, launching a Pin Missile at the curious brunette.

Gloria covered her face and cried out in pain as the needles punctured her skin. When the assault was over, she peeked between her fingers to see Bede standing over the Pokemon, Rapidash by his side. He turned to her angrily.

“What is wrong with you?!” he screamed. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? There was no reason for you to approach this thing. That was very stupid and reckless!”

The brunette pouted. “Aw, Bede… I’m sorry. I didn’t know that was a Pokemon, honest. I’m just so thirsty…” She slid her gaze over to the Pokemon as it started to crawl away. “Hey, it’s fleeing!”

“Leave it,” he muttered, grabbing her arm to pull her closer. “And let me take a look at these.”

Gloria stuck her tongue out in concentration as he pulled the needles out of her forearms and legs. Luckily, most of the punctures were superficial and her clothes helped to take more of the blows. As he was busy with tending to her, the champion pulled her phone out to identify the escaping Pokemon.

“Maractus, huh?” she mumbled, thinking. “Are we in... Unova?” Bede pulled out a particularly long needle. “Ouch! What the fuck!”

He smirked at her furious glare and stepped back. “Strange way of saying thank you.”

She rolled her eyes and poked around on her phone, but Rotom refused to cooperate. “Why isn’t it working?”

“Give me that.” She handed her phone to Bede, who tapped around and sighed as he found what he was looking for. “The portal messed with the signal. Hop will have to take a look at this. It’s a good thing you have the National Pokedex downloaded on here.”

“Can’t call myself a Champion without a Pokedex, y’know?” She accepted her phone and smiled, bumping into Bede with her shoulder. “Oi, seems like Hop’s taught you a few tricks.”

Bede blushed slightly and turned his head away. “W-well, hard not to pick up a few things when I’m constantly around him.” His lips turned down a little and he sighed. “Anyway, we should be going. Where’s the trail?”

Gloria frowned a bit but decided to let it go for now. _He’s probably worried about Hop… I mean, I’m also worried about Marnie._ She crouched down again and turned her head a bit, then stood up. “Over there, let’s go.”

They continued through the desert, the sun glaring harshly down at them. Bede wiped his forehead for the hundredth time then rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, then bent down to roll his pant legs up to his knees. Gloria copied him but rolled hers above her knees. She was debating on whether to take her socks off or not when Bede gasped. She looked up and stopped walking, seeing what caused such a reaction in him.

In the distance stood identical blue statues arranged in a circle. As they approached the scene, they noticed the statues looked very familiar. “Are these Darmanitan?” Gloria wondered. She pulled her phone out to confirm that these were indeed Zen Mode Darmanitan, but of the Unovan variety.

“Fascinating…” Bede whispered, skimming his fingers across the Pokemon’s head. He peeked over one of them and looked to the centre of their arrangement. “There appears to be a hole over there. Shall we investigate?”

“Uh, yes.” Gloria giggled and went ahead of Bede, peering down the hole. “Looks like stairs. Zamazenta’s trail ends here, so I’d wager he went inside.”

“Anything to get out of this heat.”

The duo quickly descended the stairs, sighing in relief. Though it was still sweltering, they were at least out of the sun, which lowered the temperature significantly. Gloria removed her flannel from her head and tied it around her waist. “Let’s go.”

Bede walked next to her and was busy with adjusting his jacket around his waist when he felt the ground slip from under him. Gloria gasped and went to grab his arm but missed. He shouted as he slid down the gap in the sand, grunting when he landed on his back. Gloria’s panicked calls were muffled by the sand, and soon she tumbled through as well, landing on him and taking the breath out of his lungs.

“Oh my—I’m so sorry, Bede!” She scrambled to get up and extended a hand out to him, but he ignored it and rolled onto his side to catch his breath.

“You… are… such… an… idiot,” he gasped, putting his shaking arms out to push himself up. She helped him stand and he growled at her, causing her to step back with her hands up. He patted his shirt down and grit his teeth. “Why do you never—”

“Look! There’s the stairs. Bet they’ll take us back to where we started.” She rushed past him and went up the ascending stairs two steps at a time. He groaned and followed her at a quick pace. He emerged just to see her leap over a ledge and press against a wall. He sidled next to her, curious.

“Let’s stay against the wall so we can avoid those sand pits.”

“Wow, a smart idea coming from you for once? I am shocked.”

Gloria grinned despite herself. “Shut it.”

They slid along the wall slowly towards a set of descending stairs. When they reached the bottom step, they saw another pit with no other exit and Bede sighed. “We have to go down there, don’t we?”

The brunette did not answer him, instead running to the pit and flinging herself toward it. “Woohoo!”

-x-

They crawled through the remainder of the dungeon with far too many sand pits and far too much sand in their clothes. Eventually, they reached a room that felt different than the rest. Three pillars stood on either side of the room, six in total, arranged one in front of the other. The air in the room felt thick, like there was some tension surrounding the duo, ready to suffocate them. Bede started to sweat even more profusely than before and looked up out of habit to check if, somehow, the sun had found their hiding spot.

“Is that a Pokemon?”

Bede tore his eyes away from the ceiling to look at a beautiful white and red Pokemon, which resembled the Galarian Frosmoth. “It’s getting a lot hotter. Maybe from that Fire-type?”

“Or maybe from—”

“If you say you, I will have Gardevoir scramble your brains.”

Gloria pouted. “Marnie wouldn’t like that at all.”

Bede’s cutting retort was interrupted by a screech, and the two turned to see the Pokemon bat its wings and fly towards them. Gloria immediately sent out Inteleon and Bede sent out Hatterene.

“I hope you’re right that it’s a Fire-type!” the brunette shouted. “Snipe Shot!”

The attack made a direct hit, and the creature shrieked in pain. “Looks like it is! Psychic!” Hatterene stopped the Pokemon in mid-air and flung it against one of the pillars, collapsing it under the impact. When it did not emerge from the rubble, the brunette sighed in relief. She pulled her phone out and identified the creature.

“Volcarona, huh? Not so tough—” A pained shriek interrupted her as Volcarona blasted through the ruined pillar with an Overheat attack. The trainers shielded their faces from the heat, gasping from the scorching pain on their skin.

“Inteleon, Hydro Pump!” The water splashed over the two lightly as it soared past them and slammed Volcarona against the wall, alleviating some of the burn. This time, when the Pokemon crumbled to the ground, it did not get up. Gloria threw a ball at it to capture it, just in case, and sighed in relief when the ball did not break. She collected her new Pokemon and put it away, wiping more sweat from her forehead.

“Shit,” Gloria breathed, tipping her head back. “Let’s take a break before I pass out here.”

“Agreed.” They let their Pokemon out and set up a small camp. Bede pushed past his feeling of disgust and drank the water Inteleon produced. They had no other option if they wanted to survive. They snacked on granola bars they had packed and fed their teams before finally collapsing out of exhaustion.

“I think I’m just gonna… take a little… nappie nap.” Gloria snored as she immediately fell asleep. Bede sighed and rubbed his eyes, also succumbing to a deep slumber. Their Pokemon kept a close watch on them, wary of attacks.

When the brunette woke, it was to sticky drool on the side of her cheek. She smacked her lips and wiped the side of her face, blearily opening her eyes as she sat up. Bede was still asleep, which made her smile. _He looks like a little fluffy cloud!_ She squealed internally, then calmed herself, assessing the situation. Their Pokemon were mostly asleep, though Inteleon greeted her with a solemn nod. _No sign of Zamazenta just yet… where is he? Deeper in the ruins?_

She heard what sounded like a howl in the distance, but before she could get up to investigate, Bede groaned as he rolled onto his back. “I am going to need a very deep massage after this…”

“Hop’ll be more than happy to help ya with that.”

He snapped his eyes open and sat up, meeting her playful gaze. When he turned his head away instead of returning a snappy comeback, Gloria’s playfulness turned to concern. “Bede?”

“It’s nothing,” he mumbled, pulling at a loose thread on his pants. Gloria shuffled closer and grabbed one of his hands. He hesitated, then sighed. “Rose was terrible. He used me, groomed me, then threw me away so why…” He grasped his shirt, fist over his heart. “Why do I feel so terrible?”

Gloria’s eyes flicked down to his fist, then back up to his shining eyes. “Bede, you were just a child when he took you in. He was your everything, don’t hate yourself for still feeling that way. And… although he was horrible, he did…” she sighed, closing her eyes. “He did redeem himself, in the end.”

“But he shouldn’t have to _die_ to redeem himself!” Bede yelled, tears finally streaming. “He could have fought harder, _stayed alive!_ Instead, he took the coward’s way out, just so he wouldn’t have to go to prison—just so he wouldn’t have to face me.” Bede pictured the man’s final moments in his mind, his green eyes pained with grief and remorse as he wrapped his arms around Giovanni and lifted them over the edge of the tower. He shuddered, trying not to picture the aftermath.

“I think you’re being a little hard on him. Do you think it was easy for him to do what he did?” Gloria retorted quietly.

“No.” Bede exhaled through his nose. “I don’t expect you to understand. After all, you’ve never had a good impression of him from the start.”

“True.” She nodded, then paused. “I’m sorry Bede, I don’t know what I can say to make you feel better. Just hold onto those good memories you have of him, y’know?”

“Hop said the same thing. You two are so alike.”

Gloria snorted. “Yea, I know. Except he’s way smarter than me.” She sighed. “I hope they’re okay, him and Marnie.” She shook her head, dragging her palms down her face. “I still have so much to talk about with her…”

Bede sniffled and wiped his eyes. “What do you mean?”

She fidgeted guiltily. “Well, things have been… awkward between us, to say the least. I’ve been a terrible partner to her. Well, if you ask her, it’s both of us, but I think it’s me, mostly anyway. I have a hard time separating work from personal life, y’know? It’s like I’m Champion in and out of our relationship.”

“Hmm.” Bede drummed his fingers against his thigh in thought. “Hop is the same, professor in and out of the house. But… your titles are part of you, you earned them.”

“Yea but…” Gloria laughed, tears springing to her eyes. “I was Marnie’s girlfriend before I became Champion. She deserves more than me bailing out on a date because something came up. Especially if we want to be more…”

Bede squeezed her hand sympathetically. “You want to propose?”

“No,” she giggled. “Well, yes, but Marnie will beat me to it. At least, that’s what I think…” She smiled wider. “Are you going to propose to Hop?”

He blushed. “Not yet, at least not until he becomes Professor. I wouldn’t want to distract him.”

“You’re not a distraction to him, Bede. You of all people should know that.” He shook his head, unconvinced. Gloria pressed further, hoping to change his mind. “He loves ya to death. He literally won’t shut up about you every time we talk on the phone. You’re his motivation, you keep him going.”

Bede’s eyes were shining amethysts when he met her gaze again. “You really believe that?”

She nodded firmly. “I know this. And you should talk to Hop about this, too.”

The man sniffled and wiped his eyes. “I will.” He paused, then squeezed her hand again. “Thank you.” She could hear the double meaning in the appreciative tone in his voice.

“Anytime,” she whispered, patting his hand. Another howl sounded again, this time a bit clearer. “You hear that?”

“Yes,” Bede said, narrowing his eyes. “Zamazenta seems to have found us.”

“Saves us the trouble of looking for him.” She stood up and dusted herself off, Bede following suit. When they straightened, they tensed as rapid footsteps sounded closer.

Zamazenta barreled down the stairs, snarling and growling as he approached them cautiously. He looked normal, but Gloria knew there was something off about him. He had not been corrupted by the Wishing Stars, so what was it? _Calm him down first, worry about that later!_

Since he was in his Hero of Many Battles Forme, she summoned Corviknight, hoping to subdue him quickly by targeting his weaknesses. Bede sent out Gardevoir and immediately started with a Psychic. Zamazenta howled in pain as he was flung against a pillar and was buried underneath the rubble.

“You really like doing that, dontcha?” Gloria teased. Bede chuckled in response and she widened her stance when she saw rubble begin to shake. “Brave Bird as soon as he pops outta there!”

Zamazenta leapt out of the way as Corviknight soared right by him. The two Pokemon made brief eye contact, which caused the beast to falter slightly as a memory overwhelmed him. This gave enough of an opening for Corviknight to loop around and slam her body into him and against the ground with a Brave Bird.

He whimpered in pain as he stood on his legs shakily, still ready to fight. His eyes glowed and light started to build in his jaw. Gloria’s eyes widened and she tackled Bede to the ground as a Steel Beam shot across where they had been standing and sliced straight through the remaining pillars, cutting them in half. The top parts slid slowly then fell over, breaking apart once they hit the ground. The trainers scrambled to get up and panted at the close call.

“I trained him too well,” Gloria lamented.

“Let’s focus on tiring him out so you can recall him to his ball,” Bede said. “Moonblast!”

He dodged the Fairy attack but was left wide open for another Brave Bird as Corviknight screeched into the air. This time, Zamazenta held firm with an Iron Defense, then shut his jaw over Corviknight’s wing, slamming her against the wall. She crowed weakly, then collapsed, exhausted. Gloria returned her and sent out Roserade.

Roserade whipped up a Leaf Storm and surrounded Zamazenta, who howled angrily and launched another Steel Beam chaotically. The attack cut through the foliage, but this allowed Bede an opening to send his Gardevoir in with a final Moonblast. This proved to be too much for him as he finally collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Gloria called him back to his ball and sighed in relief.

“Glad that’s done with. Now we just need to figure out how to get the hell out of here.”

“Easier said than done…” Bede remarked. “Maybe there is a clue in these ruins?”

The brunette frowned and crossed her arms. “I don’t think so. Seems to be a random location. But I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to look around.”

The two called their Pokemon back and packed up their campsite. They turned to go back up the stairs when a bright white light enveloped them suddenly. It wrapped around their bodies and pulsated before collapsing to a single point, the trainers vanishing into thin air.


	12. Zacian

Hop yelled as he tumbled through the portal landing flat on his face, Marnie close behind. He groaned and lifted his head up, glad his fall was cushioned by a patch of soft grass. He looked beside him and gasped when he saw the long gash along Marnie’s back, slicing her jacket open. It looked to be the wound from when Zacian had attacked Gloria prior to getting sucked into the portal. Marnie had taken the brunt of it trying to protect her lover. Blood had already soaked through her crop top and crusted along the seams of her ripped jacket.

“Shitshitshit!” he muttered, stumbling over to check her pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a strong beat. He removed his jacket and pressed it against her wound, then looked around. They appeared to have landed in a small isolated community, as there were houses in the distance organized around a tall, hollow tree. There was a river that split the village in half and went up into a majestic waterfall that crashed into a small lake. Hop wanted to take in more of the beautiful scenery, but there was a more pressing issue at hand.

“HELP!” he shouted. His voice exuded pure panic and desperation. He wasn’t sure how long it had been when an old man ran towards him, Pikachu by his side.

“Young man! I heard your cries for help. What happened here?”

“I-I don’t know, but my friend needs help! Please, help us!” He looked up into the old man’s eyes. He wore an indigo robe and had long grey hair and a beard. His eyes were almost completely obscured by his eyebrows, which were thick and grey. But Hop was not fooled—he knew a master Pokemon trainer when he saw one.

The man kneeled by Marnie’s side and examined her carefully. “Can you pick her up? We will bring her back to my house. My wife can take a look at her there.” Hop nodded and the old man helped put Marnie on Hop’s back to avoid irritating her wound. They started walking, since Hop was wary of going too fast. “What is your name, young man?”

“Hop. And this is Marnie.”

“Are you two—”

“No!” Hop blushed, then sighed, his eyes drooping from exhaustion. “She’s my friend, and my best mate’s girlfriend.”

“Ah, I see.” The old man stroked his beard, smiling when Pikachu joined him on his shoulder. “My name is Eagun,” Pikachu sparked the pouches on his cheeks, “this is my partner, Pikachu, and this is Agate Village. I can tell you are not from around these parts… indeed, you are not even from Orre, are you?” At Hop’s obvious shocked expression, the Eagun laughed. “Young man, live as long as I have, and you pick up on these things quite easily. Plus, your accent is quite heavy. My granddaughter always said—”

“Eagun! What is going on here? I thought I told you to take it easy!” An old woman rushed to them, clearly worried for her husband. She wore a light white jacket over a pink dress and leaned heavily on her cane when she stopped in front of them.

Eagun put his hands up to placate her, Pikachu imitating him. “Beluh, dear, please calm down—I was only trying to help…”

“…Hop.”

“Hop, here! A-and his friend, um—”

“Marnie.”

“Yes, Marnie!” He smiled gratefully down at the young trainer. Then, his expression became more serious. “Beluh, I need you to take a look at her. She has some nasty wounds on her back.”

“Oh, dear, how awful! Bring her to the house right away. We’ll get her set up in Rui’s room.”

“Rui is my granddaughter,” Eagun clarified, noting Hop’s confused expression. “Come, we must make haste.”

They went up the hill and towards the hollowed tree where a door was carved into the base of the trunk. Eagun opened the door and let Hop in, Pikachu closing it behind them. Hop grunted as he hefted Marnie up the stairs and into a room with a bed. He set her down gently on her stomach, crouching by her side and pushing her hair back from her face.

“We’ll get you all fixed up, Marn,” he promised. Beluh came in hurriedly with a medical kit just then and shooed him out, mumbling something about decency and manners. He jumped when she shoved him out and slammed the door behind him, locking him out of the room. He sighed and shook his head, then pulled out his phone, frowning when he saw there was no reception.

“Must be the portal,” he muttered in annoyance.

“Oh! Is that a P-star-DA?” Eagun piped up from the couch on the floor below. Hop blinked and looked over, then went down the stairs to show the man his Rotom Phone.

“Not sure what that is, but no, this is a Rotom Phone.” Rotom came to life then, startling Eagun and Pikachu, who geared up for battle. “This is Rotom! It’s a Pokemon that likes to live in tech. Right now, it’s pretty happy living in this phone. It powers it up and acts as a helpful guide.”

“Fascinating…” Eagun shook his head. “I am far too old for these new gadgets. I can barely type on an old keyboard! My granddaughter makes fun of me for it endlessly.”

“Where is she, by the way? Your granddaughter?”

“Oh, she is travelling with her partner and husband, Wes. Quite the story they had, those two. I imagine their adventures were similar to yours in spirit.”

Hop’s entire form sagged into the couch. “Yea, probably…”

Eagun smiled kindly. “You should get some sleep, young Hop. Rest is essential to any adventure, as you know. You and your friend are safe here.”

Hop wanted to decline, wanted to go out and do something, but his brain had other ideas. “Okay. Thank you, Eagun.” He reclined against the sofa, hands clasped over his stomach, and fell asleep quickly, thinking of Gloria, Zacian and Bede.

-x-

Marnie blinked awake slowly, the scene in front of her blurry and unfocused. She tried to push herself up but couldn’t think past the sharp pain in her back when she bent it slightly. She sank back down and exhaled shakily, wincing from the smarting pain from her not-so-smart move.

“I would rest a bit longer before moving, dearie.”

Marnie turned her head to frown at the unfamiliar voice. Her eyes met with the kind gaze of an old woman sitting on a rocking chair, watching her carefully over a knitted scarf. “Who are you? Where… where am I?” she rasped, coughing slightly.

The old woman crouched near her and pressed the tip of a straw into her mouth. Marnie sucked on it slowly, then when she realized it was water, greedily downed the rest of it. She sighed in relief when she was done and nodded. “Thanks.”

“No problem at all, dearie. You remind me of my granddaughter. My name is Beluh and this is my and my husband, Eagun’s, home. Your friend Hop brought you here, though we don’t know where you came from…”

Marnie’s eyes widened. _Hop! Bede! Gloria!_ “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine, still sleeping. It’s only been a few hours since my husband found you on the edge of our village.” Beluh paused for a bit, then sighed. “Well, I will leave you to get some rest then. I did all I could do for you.”

“W-wait.” Marnie reached a hand out and clasped Beluh’s frail wrist. “What does it look like? How bad is it?”

The old woman shook her head. “You’re lucky it was not that deep, otherwise you would have been permanently paralyzed. As is, it will scar, and it will hurt for a while, but it is all stitched up. Don’t move around too much, okay, dearie?”

“Alrigh’.” She loosened her grip and relaxed back against the pillows. Beluh left and shut the door behind her. Marnie looked out the window at the beautiful scenery, wondering where she was. _Am I dead?_ _Did Zacian kill me back there, and this is the afterlife? Why is Hop here with me?_

A knock sounded out at the door, then Hop entered, shutting it behind him. “Marnie! Glad to see you’re okay. I was so worried about you.”

“Where are we? The hell happened back there?”

The man pulled up a chair and plopped down on it, rubbing his eyes. “Eternatus opened up two portals and sent me, you and Zacian into one and Gloria, Bede and Zamazenta into the other. We’re in Agate Village, in Orre, though I don’t know when, exactly.”

“Whaddya mean _when_?”

“Eternatus has spacetime powers. It sent us to another spatial region, but it may have also sent us to another temporal region. Either way, it’s not Galar, and we need to figure out how to get back home.”

“Ya said Zacian’s here, righ’?” At Hop’s nod she gripped the blankets tighter. “Well, then, we ought to get ‘er back firs’. Might help us get back.”

“That’s a good point. I’ll scout around, see what I can find. Eagun said that Agate Village is pretty remote, so I doubt Zacian would go far. People travel through deserts to get anywhere in this region.”

“I’ll help.”

Hop scoffed. “In your condition? I don’t think so.”

Marnie narrowed her eyes and pushed the blankets aside. She turned her body and set her feet down on the wooden floor. She took a deep breath and stood up, ignoring the twinge in her back. “I don’ think ya understood me. What I said weren’t a suggestion.” She raised an eyebrow in challenge when he glared at her.

“Gloria’s going to kill me if she hears about this.”

“She doesn’t ‘ave to hear ‘bout nothin’ ‘cause nothin’ happened.”

He rolled his eyes and stood up. “Fine, sure, whatever. She’s your wife—uh, I mean… she’s your… girlfriend.” He averted his gaze from hers as she sighed sadly. Marnie eyed the worn denim jacket on the couch and shrugged it over the fresh white t-shirt Beluh had given her.

“Let’s go.”

The duo exited the room and went downstairs. Eagun was in his rocking chair, snoozing lightly with Pikachu in his lab while Beluh was tending to a potted plant. She turned to see them and tsked loudly, startling Eagun awake.

“What are you doing out of bed?!”

“ ‘M sorry, but this is too important for me ta stay here. We ‘preciate your hospitality.” She bowed and elbowed Hop to do the same.

The old couple exchanged a glance, then Eagun sighed. “Come, I will bring you to the Pokemon centre. You might find some valuable information there.”

“Why there?” Hop asked as the old man stood and stretched, his joints popping.

“Many folks come and go there, travelers from all over. You may be able to find someone familiar with your region and how to bring you back. It’s worth a try.” He tapped his leg and Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and nuzzled his cheek.

The trio exited the house after waving goodbye to Beluh. Hop walked in between Eagun and Marnie, looking around in awe. “They sure don’t have this back in Galar! Looks like you live completely within nature.”

“Mmm, yes, we are very intertwined with nature. Humans are, by nature, part of nature! Haha! Why we are so eager to distance ourselves from our origins, I do not know…” Eagun stroked his beard, deep in thought, and Hop took his words to heart.

“You know? You’re right, Eagun, it doesn’t make sense at—oh, Arceus, what happened here?” A large, thick tree had been severed across its width. The tree had fallen over and crushed a house, splitting it in two. There was a distraught man surveying the scene and they rushed to him.

“Nikolai, what happened?” Eagun asked, gripping the man’s shoulders.

“There was a beast—w-was it Suicune? N-no, it had braided fur.”

“Zacian,” Hop muttered, meeting Marnie’s eyes.

“Is anyone hurt?”

“No, thank g-goodness,” Nikolai answered, trembling. “The beast fled towards the Relic Cave. Eagun, you must stop it!”

“I will.” He turned to the two and bowed his head solemnly. “I am sorry to ask this of you, but I need your help. Who knows how strong this Pokemon is, and with the three of us, we should be able to take it on.”

“We’re with you, Eagun,” Hop reassured him as Marnie nodded. Eagun breathed out a sigh of relief and urged them forward with a hand.

“Come, the cave is this way.” He led them across a bridge and down a path to an opening in a hill. “Through here.” They entered the cave, a short path between the entrance and the exit. To the left was a small glowing pond, illuminated by the light from outside.

Hop cleared his throat. “Eagun, we haven’t been completely honest with you.” Marnie looked at him in confusion. “Truth is… that Pokemon, Zacian, she’s mine. We’re trying to capture her.” Eagun remained silent and Hop grew nervous. “I’m really sorry for not telling you everything from the start, but I was worried and—”

“Worried about what? I am not angry, or afraid, or disappointed.” Eagun pointed ahead. “I only wish to help. It gets quite boring around here, to tell you the truth. Nothing like a heated battle to warm these old bones up!” He ushered them through the cave exit and into a gorgeous, silent forest. “This is the Relic Forest. Legend has it that Celebi will visit if a trainer of pure heart steps near the Relic Stone.”

“What is the Relic Stone?”

“It’s an ancient artifact used for purification,” Eagun explained vaguely. “It’s this way, follow me.”

“Why are ya takin’ us there?”

“Zacian may be there. Pokemon tend to aggregate around sacred symbols. Though I am not sure why!”

Hop shrugged when Marnie looked at him curiously. “I don’t study Pokemon behaviour, so I don’t know.” He lifted his head when he heard a distant howl. “That sounds like her!” He ran ahead, ignoring Eagun’s pleas to wait.

Hop stopped as he made it before his Pokemon, Zacian growling at him in defiance. They were in a small clearing, the ground under them made of stone. Between him and Zacian, there was a cylinder statue carved as though its sides jutted out in turns, with the top in the shape of a poke ball. Hop slid his eyes from the artifact up to his Pokemon. She was no longer in her Crowned Sword form, likely due to separating from him, which meant she would be easier to deal with. “Cinderace, Pyro Ball!”

Cinderace jumped into the air and kicked a sphere of fire towards Zacian, who dodged. The ball hit the ground and dissipated. Hop looked at his surroundings and realized he could cause a forest fire should he be too reckless. “Cinderace, come back. Go, Dubwool!”

His first Pokemon bleated in greeting, happy to see Zacian, then blinked when his friend barked at him angrily. “Zacian’s not in the right headspace right now, mate. We gotta calm her down!”

Eagun and Marnie finally caught up by that point. “Hop! That was far too reckless of you. Do not do that again!”

“Sorry, Eagun, but when it comes to my friends, nothing will get in my way! Dubwool, use Cotton Guard!” The woolly Pokemon set up a stronger defense as Zacian rushed in with a Sacred Sword attack. The two Pokemon met head on, pushing against each other. Dubwool slid back slightly, then tumbled forward as the pressure against his head was released. In front of him Morpeko puffed her cheeks out and sparked the pouches on either side.

Zacian stood back up, head bowed low in challenge, then used Swords Dance to boost her attack.

“Dubwool, Double-Edge!”

“Morpeko, Aura Wheel!”

Both Pokemon obeyed, Dubwool charging ferociously ahead and Morpeko generating an electric wheel in mid-air. Zacian’s eyes flickered between them, then jumped to meet the smaller Pokemon in the sky. She had thought the tiny one would be less of threat, but this was shown to be wrong as the wheel of lightning barrelled against her and sent her shooting back against the ground. The stone slabs cracked under the weight as Morpeko drove her attack further against Zacian, then finally the Legendary Pokemon howled and threw her head up in an Iron Head attack.

Morpeko cried out in pain as she was launched and slammed against a tree. Dubwool at that point had turned on his heel and charged towards Zacian again, who had just gotten up from the ground. Her eyes widened when the woolly Pokemon impacted her side and set her crashing against the artifact in the middle of the clearing. She crumpled against it, panting heavily.

“Hop, be careful!” Eagun warned. “That statue is the Relic Stone!” He paused, squinting his eyes at Zacian. “And your Pokemon… is this her normal behaviour?”

“No, Eagun,” Marnie answered in Hop’s stead, knowing exactly what the problem was. “She’s been turned into a Shadow Pokemon, though I’ve got no idea wha’ tha’ means.”

The old man’s eyes widened comically, pushing his thick eyebrows up. “A-a Shadow Pokemon, you say? My, this is quite the coincidence.”

“What are ya—”

“Hey, look out!”

Zacian rushed towards them, preparing another Iron Head, when Pikachu jumped forward with a Thunder attack. The air crackled with electricity and a loud rumbling shook the earth as dark thunderclouds covered the patch of sky not hidden by the trees. A bright, powerful bolt of lightning split the cloud and arced into Zacian, stopping her in her tracks as her body shuddered from the excess charge. Soon, the current passed through her body and into the ground, but the intrusion was enough to deplete her remaining vitality, and she collapsed, exhausted.

Pikachu climbed up Eagun’s shoulder and he patted his partner’s head, thankful for the rescue. Morpeko chattered with him excitedly from Eagun’s other shoulder, and he lowered his ears, bashful. Marnie offered a small smile at their interaction, then turned to Hop, who was kneeling by Zacian’s side as he brushed her fur with his fingers.

She looked terrible, her breathing unsteady, her pulse throbbing against her thick neck and her eyes lolled back and twitching erratically. This was not due to the Thunder attack, Hop knew this, rather it was from whatever that machine had done to her as her body could no longer sustain the intrusion to her mind.

“Hop, bring her to the Relic Stone, there’s not much time left.”

Hop looked down at his Pokemon, knowing she had to weigh at least 100 kilograms. He clenched his jaw and put his arms under her, cradling her against his chest. “For Zacian, I’ll do anything.” Marnie moved to help him but he shook his head. “She’s my Pokemon, plus you’re injured. I’ll be fine.” He stepped forward slowly, one foot at a time, towards the Relic Stone, where Eagun stood with Pikachu and Morepeko atop the artifact.

He lowered his Pokemon gently near the tiny pillar, trying to fight the tears in his eyes. “Now what? How are we supposed to save her?”

“Normally, when a Pokemon’s heart is closed, it requires a strong bond to break. This takes time to establish, as I’ve seen before with Wes. But in your case, where you’ve already had a strong bond, the door has not been completely shut with a lock and key.” He smoothed his hands down the stone. “This artifact can remind your Pokemon of your bond and break the shackles around her heart.” He stepped away and smiled sadly. “I cannot help you with this, and I believe I must return to the village to attend to the repairs. Good luck, young ones. And stay safe.”

“Thank you.”

The old man turned and left, Pikachu waving goodbye from his shoulder. Marnie knelt next to Hop and brought out a canteen of water to Zacian’s mouth. Zacian allowed her to pour it in, though most spilled out onto the ground. Hop sniffled and buried his face in his hands.

“It’s over! She’s… I don’t even know what to do. How am I supposed to unlock her heart? I know Eagun was just trying to help but he’s confused me more! It makes no logical sense.”

“ ‘S’not over, Hop. Ya jus’ hafta trus’ tha’ Zacian will get better. Righ’ now your heart’s all a mess. How are ya ‘xpectin’ Zacian ta come outta this if ya ‘ave no hope?”

Hop sighed and lowered his hands. “You’re right, but I honestly don’t know how to lift my shit mood right now.” He buried his hands in Zacian’s mane, sniffling when she whimpered in pain. “Arceus, it’s all so screwed up right now.”

Marnie’s back stung underneath the bandages, but she pressed on, leaning to give Hop a side hug. “We’re in this together. An’ we’ll get back to Glo an’ Bede.”

He smiled despite himself. “And you’ll finally propose to Gloria?”

She blinked and blushed lightly. “Uh, y-yea, maybe I will…”

“I may have looked through your bag while you were asleep…”

She balked, then shoved him when he started laughing. “Lookin’ through a lady’s belongin’s? Hop, ya ‘ave no shame, do ya?”

He shrugged, trying to fight down his grin. “Aw, don’t get all mad at me! You know what living with siblings is like!”

She chuckled and shook her head. “Guess you’re right. Piers an’ I always used ta steal each other’s shit. Bet ya have some fun stories on Leon?”

“I do!” he laughed. “Whenever Lee would come to visit, I would take his cape and pretend I beat him in a battle. He always played along, at least for those first few years. He got too busy later, when Rose started to brand him as the Undefeatable Leon.”

“Busy as Champion, huh?” she mumbled, twirling a lock of cyan fur around her finger. “Wanna know why I didn’t propose when I told ya I would?”

“Why?” When Marnie explained what had happened that day, he sighed. “Yea, get used to that. Leon always ditched family dinners halfway through because Rose wanted him to do something. At least Gloria doesn’t have to deal with that.”

“True, but it’s jus’—” she sighed. “I dunno. I ‘member Piers did tha’ sometimes with me. Still don’t mean I’m used to it.”

“But you love both of them, yea? And if you talk to Gloria, I’m sure she’ll figure something out. I know she’s crazy about you, trust me.” He rolled his eyes. “I swear she could write a dissertation with everything she’s talked about.”

Marnie blushed and turned her head away. “Oh.” She cleared her throat and turned back to him. “A-an’ you an’ Leon? How’s that been lately?”

He sighed, lowering his eyes. “We’re doing better now, I think. I visit him once a week for a battle up at the Tower, and he comes by the house more often, too.”

“Not the lab?”

“With Sonia and Nessa both there? No way. They might be friendly and all but Leon’s not the type to stick around old wounds. Even around Raihan he’s—” Hop paused, eyes widening. “Uh, pretend I didn’t say that.”

Marnie raised an eyebrow. “ ’Round Raihan, eh? Does he have feelin’s for ‘im?”

“Nope!”

She sighed. “What a mess those three are in. Thank Arceus we were up front ‘bout our feelin’s an’ all.”

“No idea what you’re talking about…” Hop turned away from Marnie’s accusing stare. “A-and Zacian’s still not getting better…”

The Dark-type expert sighed and dropped the subject. “She’s still breathin’ an’ it seems like she’s not in th’ mood for a fight.”

Hop’s eyes filled with tears again. “Zacian, please, come back. I don’t even care if you want to be my Pokemon anymore. I just can’t stand the sight of seeing you like this.” He stood up suddenly, stumbling towards the Relic Stone. He slammed his closed fist against it, suddenly angry. “What good are you if you can’t even bring back a Pokemon I love?” he yelled.

Marnie stood and backed away as Zacian was overcome with bright green light. “Uh, Hop…?”

Hop brought his fist down again, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I would give anything for Zacian to be back to normal again. _Anything!_ So please…” He slid to his knees again and sobbed, forehead pressed to the cool stone. “ _Please…_ ”

A rough, wet sensation against his cheek had him snapping his head back and he looked up to see Zacian’s yellow eyes peering at him curiously. She tilted her head and barked in greeting. Hop’s jaw dropped, in shock, then he swung his arms around her sturdy neck and brought her closer, laughing against the side of her head.

“Zacian! You’re back!”

She barked again and panted, her tongue out and her tail wagging behind her. He stood to get a better look at her and she went back on her hind legs and put her front paws on his shoulder, licking his face again. He laughed and pushed her back. “Okay, okay! I get it, you’re happy to see me. I’m happy to see you, too.” He looked over at Marnie, who watched with slight fear in her eyes, one hand gripping the other arm. “Why don’t you go say hi to Marnie?”

Zacian left him and bumped her head against Marnie’s stomach. She tentatively put a hand out and brushed her fur back. She wasn’t used to such an affectionate response, since Zamazenta was a lot calmer and withheld his feelings more frequently. But she wondered if they liked being scratched in the same spots.

She reached behind Zacian’s ear and scratched lightly, and the Legendary pressed further against her happily. She giggled slightly and pulled her hand back. “They really mus’ be siblin’s, too.”

“And she probably misses Zamazenta just like how we miss our older brothers.” Zacian’s ears perked at the name of her older brother and she turned her head around to look at Hop. She finally seemed to notice where they were and approached the Relic Stone, sniffing at it. She stepped back and her eyes glowed white as she tilted her head up and howled at the sky.


	13. Eternatus

Zacian continued howling, as though she were calling for someone. Hop and Marnie watched, amazed, as a beacon of yellow light shone down on the legendary beast, amplifying her voice. Soon, a pulsating green orb floated into view, circling around Zacian before settling atop the relic. It dissipated to reveal a green pixie-like Pokemon with small wings.

“That’s Celebi!” Hop gasped, hand going to his head. “One of the Mythical Pokemon… Wow, Marnie, this is so unbelievably lucky.”

“Why’d Zacian call it here?” Marnie wondered instead.

“Celebi has time-travelling and teleportation powers.” Hop tapped his chin, thinking. “Maybe it can bring Gloria and Bede back to us, as well as Zamazenta!”

Her heart jumped to her throat and she swallowed as though to push it back down. “Arceus, I hope it brings ‘em all an’ not jus’ Zamazenta.”

The yellow light faded and Zacian turned to face Celebi, bowing her head in respect. The fairy Pokemon giggled and flew in a loop. Suddenly, a bright white flash illuminated the area, blinding the two trainers. When they lowered their arms, they saw Bede and Gloria land feet first on the ground, both extremely sunburnt and soaked in sweat.

“What the fuck just happened?!” the champion exclaimed, turning around on the spot to take in the view. In contrast, Bede looked around carefully, then when he noticed Hop, stilled. He put an arm out to stop Gloria from spinning and roughly turned her to face Marnie, causing her to gasp.

Marnie and Hop were still (rightfully) in shock, but Hop broke free first, walking forward with tears in his eyes. “I-It’s so good to see you two again—” Gloria tackled him in a hug, squeezed her arms around him, then let go to wrap herself around Marnie, who had snapped out of her stunned silence. Celebi and Zacian watched in quiet contentment.

The brunette leaned back and cupped Marnie’s cheek. “You’re okay…” Her eyes shone with tears. “I was so worried that—”

“I’m okay,” the raven-haired woman interrupted, “an’ you… look very sunburnt.”

Gloria laughed and leaned in for a kiss. “I can’t wait to tell you all about it.” She looked over to see Hop and Bede still embraced in a passionate kiss. “Those two need to compete in swimming with their lung capacities.”

Marnie rolled her eyes and tugged Gloria closer. “I definitely didn’ miss tha’ smart mouth o’ yours.” The champion buried her face against her neck and wrapped her arms around her waist.

“Liar…” she whispered. She peeked over Marnie’s shoulder to see Zacian watching them, a green pixie Pokemon atop her back. Her eyes widened and she jumped back. “Zacian! We have to capture her!” She brought a poke ball out, which Marnie quickly covered with her hand and lowered back to her hip.

“Calm down! Can’t ya see she’s not attackin’ us? We got ‘er back ta normal again.”

“You—how?”

“I’ll explain later. Did ya manage to find Zamazenta?” At Gloria’s nod she breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, can ya summon ‘im? We can try with ‘im, too.” At this point Hop and Bede had ended their snogging to pay attention to the situation. Hop looked back at Zacian and nodded.

“If Zamazenta puts up a fight, we can take him.”

Gloria tossed the Legendary’s poke ball into the air and he came out, flat on his stomach. He was still exhausted from his previous bout, but he still tried to get up on his legs to fight. Zacian barked and rushed at him, then pulled on his ear and dragged him towards the stone. At this point, Celebi decided to interfere, and she floated around the duo and twirled in the air. Zamazenta’s body glowed green, then he collapsed again.

When his eyes opened slowly, it was without their previous aggression. Gloria knelt by his side and brushed his ponytail away from his face. “Good to see ya back to normal, mate.” He whimpered and she stroked his ear, smiling. “I promise I’ll get you the best treats!”

Celebi floated near her and closed her eyes. The back of her head tingled, and she felt like someone was knocking gently on her brain. _Uh… come in?_

 _Hello!_ The voice cheerily echoed in Gloria’s head, which was slightly disorienting. _I am Celebi! Zacian called me here and explained the situation._ Her voice shifted then, going solemn. _You who have tamed Arceus’ Warriors… there is still a great fight upon you. I will heal you and return you to your world, and there, you will battle Eternatus. You must capture him._

_What do we do when we catch him?_

_I will bring you back here and purify him. I don’t know what will happen after that, but it is necessary._

_Okay, understood. Thank you._

_You’re very welcome! Good luck!_ Gloria blinked and looked up to see everyone staring at her in concern. Zacian and Zamazenta exchanged a knowing glance, then looked up as Celebi giggled.

Gloria stood up and gripped Marnie’s hand tightly. “Everyone, we’re not done yet. We still have to go back and calm Eternatus down. So, I’m sorry, but I need to ask you for one last fight…”

Marnie squeezed her hand, her face stoic but determined. “We got your back.”

Hop grinned and pulled Bede towards him by the waist. “Don’t ever doubt that for a second!”

Bede blushed but relented, smirking. “You couldn’t beat Eternatus on your own the first time, so you’ll definitely need help again.”

Gloria rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t fight back the wide grin splitting her face. She rubbed her wrist across her eyes and nodded. “Okay, Celebi, take us back home—to Galar!”

Celebi twirled in the air and cupped her hands around a small glowing orb between her palms. She pulled her arms out and the orb expanded and grew, encompassing all the trainers and their Pokemon. A bright green light pulsated in the forest, then vanished, leaving nothing but the remains of a vicious battle.

-x-

Gloria and the others landed softly on the wrecked summit of the Battle Tower. “Man, travelling with Celebi beats jumping into those portals any day.”

“Thank Arceus we only had to go through one of those,” Hop added, “otherwise I’m not sure I’d’ave been able to handle the pain!”

Bede and Marnie exchanged a glance and shrugged, then turned their attention forward. Up ahead, Eternatus was waging war with an exhausted Garbodor, a tall blonde figure issuing desperate commands.

The back of Gloria’s head prickled as Celebi gave her a vision. Oleana, falling to her death from a wayward Dynamax Cannon. _She died in another timeline… we have to save her!_ “Let’s go, everyone! Zamazenta, Behemoth Bash!”

“Zacian, don’t let him outshine ya! This is a page in your legend, too!”

The Legendary duo shifted into their Crowned forms and roared with a vengeance, rushing to battle their nemesis once again. Oleana jumped when the champion gripped her shoulder tightly, nodding with a small smile on her face. “We’ve got ya.”

The blonde turned her head when her other shoulder was gripped and met Bede’s shining eyes as he looked forward.

“We will end this, for him.”

Oleana shuddered and hugged herself, falling to her knees. “Thank you.” She collapsed from exhaustion and Bede carried her off to the side, her Pokemon returned to their balls on her belt.

Marnie had sent out Grimmsnarl and he followed with Rapidash, while Hop and Gloria stuck with Zacian and Zamazenta. Eternatus shrieked again and stared down at the trainers and Pokemon with disdain. Its body morphed into its Eternamax form and the storm raged stronger in response. Its claw swayed in front of them, the core in the centre vibrating furiously and pulsating a mixture of pink and purple light. Its voice was projected into all of the trainers’ heads, causing them to wince in pain.

**_YOU HUMANS WILL SUFFER FOR ETERNITYYYYYYYYYYY_ **

Gloria trembled but held firm. “Zamazenta, Behemoth Bash!”

Hop drew courage from his friend and ordered Zacian to follow. Bede’s Rapidash provided support in the form of a Misty Terrain and Marnie had Grimmsnarl follow Zacian in attacking their foe. Thanks to the wolves, the Pokemon were able to use their moves and landed heavy blows against the rampaging Legendary.

But this only served to anger Eternatus further. It drew back and spread out the fingers on its hand, showcasing the orb in the centre. It vibrated in the air then unleashed a Dynamax Cannon straight towards Gloria. The brunette dodged by leaping over to the side, and the beam blasted straight through the tower, then across and into the sky. The energy reacted with the clouds and ionized more of the gases in the air. The negative charge build up made the storm more violent with stronger crashes of lightning around them.

Grimmsnarl launched himself high in the air, arms wound back for a Play Rough attack, then flew back when Eternatus struck him suddenly. He crashed against the floor, shakily getting back up. When Marnie went to recall him he shook his head vigorously, then stood up and jumped up onto Eternatus’ long neck.

“What’s he doing?” Gloria asked, her eyebrows knitting in concern.

Marnie gave her a small smile. “He wants to protect ya. I get that.” She turned back around and ordered another Play Rough attack, and this time the hit landed straight against the beast’s core. It screeched in anger and flung Grimmsnarl off again, but the fairy demon landed gracefully near Marnie, panting from exertion. Rapidash aimed a Heal Pulse at him and he straightened, nodding at his rival in thanks.

Gloria flinched when Eternatus addressed her directly. 

**_OTHERS FIGHT FOR YOU NOW?_ **

_We’re fighting together, to help you!_

**_HELP? HOW DARE YOU! I PUT MY FAITH IN YOU AND YOU HAVE ALLOWED ME TO BE CORRUPTED BY VILE HUMAN TECHNOLOGY. NEVER AGAIN. NEVER._ **

_We had a good six years in peace, Eternatus. They hurt me too! A-and I’m really trying to help—_

**_ENOUGH. DIE._ **

Eternatus shut off the link between them and prepared another attack. Zamazenta rushed by her, glancing at her and nodding, then prepared to counter the attack with a Steel Beam. Both lines of energy met in between the two battling Pokemon and clashed against each other. Zamazenta’s eyes glowed white with his effort to keep the Dynamax Cannon back.

Zacian hastened forward under the beams and prepared a Moonblast in her jaw. She bounded along Eternatus’ neck then jumped, turned in midair and launched the attack. It caused a huge explosion and she was pushed back from the chaotic winds. Zamazenta Eternatus braced himself against the cloud of dust that swelled and enveloped him, then went ahead to catch his sister before she hit the ground. She nodded once in thanks then they both turned to see Eternatus lean back from the blow.

It twisted its limbs then faced them directly, addressing them in their minds.

**_I WILL END YOU TWO HERE. ARCEUS HIMSELF WILL NOT STOP ME._ **

Zamazenta growled angrily. _Have you learned nothing?! Celebi has been informed of the situation. She is awaiting your arrival for purification._

 ** _There will be no purification. There will be no future for humanity._** Eternatus rose back to full size and shot its five limbs out toward the wolves, trapping them in a cage made up of its body parts. Its core whirred again in preparation for a Dynamax Cannon.

Gloria watched and gasped, grabbing Hop’s arm. “Eternatus is going to kill them!” She ran ahead and he followed close behind. They attempted to remove the limbs but they were far too deep in the ground. Zamazenta noticed them and barked at them to get away, his shield forming from his mane in preparation.

It was the first time Gloria had heard his voice since her dream on the Darkest Day. _You are not safe here. LEAVE!_

 _Zamazenta is right_ , Zacian followed, her voice a soothing melody, _we care about you. We will be fine._

Hop’s eyes shone with tears as he pushed his face between the pseudo-bars. “No! We’re not going to leave you. You won’t be able to survive a blast this close!”

_It’s been a pleasure, Hop…_

Gloria looked into Zamazenta’s eyes, seeing the same feeling of camaraderie and love that she felt for him. _It can’t end like this. No way in hell._

She pushed herself into the cage and ignored Zamazenta’s surprised yelps of protest. She grabbed a sharp stone and looked up into Eternatus’ whirring core, then threw it. The impact caused the Pokemon to flinch from surprise but stay firm, then Hop joined her and the two of them kept up their assault on Eternatus’ weak spot. Marnie and Bede watched from the sidelines, unsure of what to do, when the Eternamaxed beast withdrew from its spot and aimed a prepared Dynamax Cannon at them instead.

Gloria and Hop paled, looking out at their partners, and turned on their heels to get to them before it was too late. Hop saw Bede yell something out and Grimmsnarl step forward with his arms out before the beam overtook his vision and landed directly on the pair of Gym Leaders.

The champion and professor put their arms down from their faces to see a Protect bubble around Bede, Marnie and their Pokemon. This had not been enough to completely protect them, but Grimmsnarl took the majority of the hit and Bede’s hair was slightly singed at the top.

“Assurance, Grimmsnarl, now!”

The fairy demon roared and launched himself towards Eternatus and landed a doubly powered blow against its core, cracking it.

Marnie turned to Gloria. “Almos’ there! Go!”

The brunette nodded and pointed ahead. “You heard the lady! Close Combat, double time!”

“You too, Zacian!”

The Pokemon ran ahead together in perfect synchrony, then leapt and dealt the final decisive blow against the beast, weakening it enough for capture. Gloria produced an enlarged dusk ball and threw it towards Eternatus. The ball landed and crashed into the floor, then settled as the capture was confirmed.

Gloria dropped to her knees in relief, Hop following suit. Zacian and Zamazenta trotted over to them and sat back on their haunches. Zacian shook her head and Zamazenta huffed in irritation.

_That was very reckless._

_I agree._ The magenta wolf tugged at Gloria’s collar with his teeth. _I cannot believe you have coerced me into agreeing with my sister._

“Oi!” the brunette laughed, pushing back against Zamazenta’s head. “We won! It’s finally over. Scold me in a couple years from now, ‘k?” She sighed and tilted her head back. “I’m exhausted.”

Hop fell on to his back and assumed a star position. The storm above had calmed and started to drizzle rain, a welcome cool sensation on his face. “I think I’d like to close this chapter of my legend and not open the tale back up for a long time.” Zacian plopped onto his stomach and he grunted, grinning.

A shadow cast over him and he looked up to see Bede’s helping hand, a proud smile on his face. Zacian barked and stood up from her resting spot.

“You are amazing.” Hop blushed and accepted the hand and hoisted himself up, meeting Bede for a chaste kiss. The blonde pulled back and looked around. “Will Celebi be arriving soon?”

Marnie straightened from where she had been looking Gloria over for wounds, the brunette pushing her away in amusement. “Eternatus still needs ta get purified.” She blinked when green specks of light floated around her. “Uh, Glo—” she was cut off when she, Zamazenta and Gloria disappeared in a blink of light.

“I guess that’s that!” Hop exclaimed as he dusted his hands off. “They’ll get back here soon enough. We should take care of Oleana and uh…” he trailed off as he looked over the side of the summit.

Bede caught his glance and sighed, closing his eyes. “I will take care of the bodies. You call Looker and see what we can do about Oleana.” He opened his eyes and gazed back at her prone form. “I believe she will want to do more since…”

“Sure, I’ll take care of it,” Hop reassured, cupping Bede’s cheek. “And don’t worry about going down there. Looker will take care of that, too. I just need you to help set up Oleana on Corviknight so I can bring her back to my place so she can rest.”

The blonde man nodded. “Okay.” When Hop went to go to Oleana, Bede stopped him by grabbing his wrist. “Wait. What do you plan on doing with her?”

The associate professor shrugged. “I’m thinking we can get Macro Cosmos going again, but with some rebranding. Maybe she’ll want to be CEO? I don’t know, but I do want her involved in the admin side of things. With Macro Cosmos’ money and influence we can handle the manufacturing and the research, keeping everything in Galar and speeding up the process. I just hope she’ll agree.”

“I’m sure she will,” Bede mumbled, loosening his grip. _Maybe we can… try again._

-x-

Gloria opened her eyes as Celebi’s teleportation ended and met with Marnie’s stunning turquoise gaze. She blinked, suddenly blushing and not knowing why. She looked down at their held hands and then flicked her eyes back up and smiled. Zamazenta trotted off to the side and lied down, head in his paws and watching them carefully.

Marnie tilted her head to the side, eyebrow raised. “What’s up with ya?”

“It just struck me how beautiful you are.”

It was Marnie’s turn to blush now as she dropped their joined hands. “Now’s not th’ time for flirtin’.”

The brunette stuck her tongue out then turned back to the Relic Stone, dusk ball gripped tightly in her hand. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Celebi sat atop the artifact, then perked as the champion approached her. “Can I purify Eternatus in its ball?” When Celebi shook her head, she sighed. “Alright…” She summoned the Pokemon, and although there was a part of her that was truly terrified, she knew Eternatus was too exhausted to do anything against them at this point.

Gloria looked up at the Legendary, overcome with sadness at how things had gone. She turned to Celebi and nodded and the Pokemon brought forth a wave of green fairy dust that swirled around the giant Pokemon. The purple and blue portions of its body glowed and shifted to a golden hue, and the pink orb in its core whitened as it pulsated. Gloria squinted her eyes but was determined to watch, then her jaw dropped in shock as Eternatus’ body slowly fell apart, piece by piece, then shot up into the dark sky.

Finally, only its orb was left and she approached it cautiously and held it in her hands gingerly. She saw her reflection in its shiny, silver surface, and brushed her thumb over her reflected eyes. She heard a voice in her head, familiar but also different.

_May we never meet again…_

The orb glowed then shot up to join its companions in a pillar of light. Gloria stumbled back as Marnie caught her from behind, both watching in awe as the sky flashed with waves of gold and white. Around them, dust twinkled in hues of green from Celebi’s purification. The Pokemon flew around them and sat on the Relic Stone.

Gloria looked up at the sky, feeling lost and confused. _Eternatus left this world hating me and I don’t blame it. I promised it… and look what happened. Is Eternatus right? Are humans doomed to be terrible to Pokemon, over and over again?_ The brunette turned around and crossed her arms. “What if Eternatus is right?”

Marnie blinked in confusion. “Whaddya mean?”

“I mean, what if what it said, back when I first caught it in the Energy Plant, about how humans are always greedy and will always cause destruction… what if that’s right?”

“But it is righ’…”

Gloria looked stunned. “What—”

“ ‘Course it’s righ’, Glo, have ya been ignorin’ the last two weeks? This whole thing started ‘cause of greedy people…”

“B-but not everyone’s bad, right? I mean, there’s you, and Hop, and Bede, a-and me, I think, a-and—”

“Gloria.” The brunette shut up when Marnie stepped forward and held her hands between hers. “We’re all greedy, ta some extent, y’know. We make mistakes. But wha’ makes us different is that we _learn_ from ‘em an’ try ta do better. Rose did exactly that.”

“But he _died_ for it…”

“That was purely ‘cause o’ the circumstance.” She paused, trying to collect her thoughts. “I’m not tryna say tha’ we’re all evil in the end, or tha’ the only redemption is through death. What I mean is everyone can be good or bad or in-between, an’ those tha’ are good, hafta keep up the fight against those that’re bad.”

Gloria’s eyes watered as she withdrew her hands and hugged herself. “I don’t want to be in this position ten years from now, worried that we’re going to get killed because some jackass wants to dominate the world.” She met Marnie’s worried eyes and shook her head. “I don’t want to see you hurt badly again, wondering if that will be the last time I see you.”

Her gaze softened and she wrapped her arms around the brunette. She felt hot tears go down the column of her neck and held on tighter. “I feel the same way, but we signed up for this, y’know? Ya had to be all amazin’ an’ poke your nose inta all tha’ nonsense durin’ our gym challenge.”

Gloria laughed and pressed her nose against Marnie’s collarbone. “Shut up. You saved me back in Motostoke. Don’t get all high and mighty with me when you were there from the start.”

Marnie pulled back and kept her eyes on Gloria as she reached into her bag. The brunette opened her eyes and her breath hitched when she saw that same box she’d seen back in Marnie’s room. She flicked her gaze between the box and her lover’s face, anticipation high.

“I’ll be with ya ‘til the very end,” Marnie mumbled low, opening the box up. “Through the good an’ bad an’ heaven an’ hell… I’m with ya ‘til the end.” Inside, there was a silver band set with a beautiful diamond. It was simple and elegant and brought together the best of the couple into one item.

“M-Marnie, you—” Gloria laughed, tears flowing down her cheeks, and covered her face with her hands. “You’ve been carrying that ring with you this whole time?” she hiccupped, shaking her head. Marnie rolled her eyes and took one of Gloria’s hand in hers, sliding the ring onto her finger. “I didn’t say yes,” the brunette mumbled, intertwining their fingers.

“Then say it.”

The champion laughed again and cupped Marnie’s jaw with both hands, leaning in for a kiss. “Yes,” she giggled in between kisses. “I’ll marry you.” She pulled back and slid her arms around her shoulders, resting their foreheads against each other. “So, back in your room—”

“I’d been plannin’ on it for years…” Marnie confessed. When Gloria opened her eyes in shock, she continued. “A-an’ that day, when we were in the Wild Area an’ Bede—”

“Oh my Arceus!” she gasped, hand to her mouth and eyes going wide. “You were going to—that’s why—oh, I’m such an asshole!” she groaned, her eyes sliding shut. “I totally overreacted, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’ ‘ave gone off on ya like tha’. Ya didn’ know…”

“I totally understand, though… I’m sorry, Marnie. I’ll try to do better, I promise.”

Marnie let out a short chuckle. “That’s good enough for me.” She leaned forward and they kissed again under the golden auroras, Zamazenta howling into the night.


	14. Epilogue

It was a bright, sunny day, which was a stark contrast to the mood of the people standing in a neatly trimmed field. The clearing was full of rows of stone slabs with names engraved on each one. The cemetery was located between Stow-on-Side and Ballonlea, before the Glimwood tangle. As a result, Fairy and Ghost Pokemon flitted between the rows and floated around the outskirts before disappearing into the brush.

A small black-clad group stood around one particular tombstone in complete silence, save for the quiet sobbing of Oleana. She was kneeling by the foot of a freshly overturned mound of dirt, hands covering her face. Gloria crouched by her side and softly rubbed her back. She offered her a tissue which the blonde gratefully accepted. The brunette sighed and looked at the head of the grave, reading the inscription.

HERE LIES ROSE WILLIAMS

ENTREPRENEUR, VISIONARY, HERO OF GALAR

XXXX-XXXX

As much as she had internally protested, Gloria had been adamant to give Rose a proper burial and marker. Not that it mattered much since his body had been lost to the storm on that day. The coffin six feet under was empty, save for the last of Rose’s belongings.

Giovanni’s body was also missing, though no one seemed to care all that much. The champion idly wondered if maybe they had gone through a portal, sent to another dimension, but decided in the end it didn’t matter. Regardless, both men were ‘dead’ to them, in that they no longer existed in this plane.

She felt a hand grip her shoulder and turned her head to meet Marnie’s comforting eyes. She smiled back at her lover and stood to hold her hand. Bede took over to comfort Oleana as her sobs faded to low sniffles and silent staring. Hop watched anxiously from behind, hands gripping his sleeves as he crossed his arms. Looker appeared troubled, his mouth turned firmly down and his eyes unblinking. His injuries were bandaged, and he appeared to be healthy, though his eyes looked to be consumed by inner turmoil. By his side, Melony appeared deeply worried and fidgeted nervously, sighing and adjusting her hat at regular intervals. She had flown back from Snowpoint upon Gloria’s request, and had been incredibly saddened when news reached her of her son’s actions.

Leon stood next to him, head bowed and cap pulled low over his eyes. Sonia had one of her arms wrapped around his for comfort, but he did not seem to respond to any of her concerned whispers. Nessa, Raihan and Piers stood behind them, watching quietly. The other Gym Leaders minus Gordie were scattered around, aside from Kabu, who stood at the front of the grave with a hand on the top of the slab. The usual fire in his eyes appeared more like simmering embers and his demeanour was significantly tamed. On the other side stood Professor Magnolia, leaning heavily against her cane, solemnly looking down.

He cleared his throat, and everyone raised their eyes to his stoic face. “Hello, everyone… it is truly nice to see us all gathered together—this opportunity does not arise often—though I would have preferred it under… happier circumstances.” He sighed and straightened his back. “Rose was a great man—nobody here can dispute that. He was truly a bright individual and loved this region more than anyone I’ve ever known. He was always looking to improve the lives of others, be it through gym challenges or through his plans to provide warmth and safety to all Galarians. Though we did not agree on his methods, the motives were shared amongst us all.”

 _The road to hell is paved with good intentions…_ Gloria thought, but wisely did not say aloud. She felt the hand around hers squeeze tighter and leaned against Marnie’s shoulder in response. The rest of Kabu’s eulogy faded into the background as her thoughts swirled and darkened. Really, the last three weeks had been absolutely hellish. Looker had been working overtime with InterPol to release statements to the press about what had occurred, and Gloria must have done about a dozen interviews over the span of two days trying to explain what had happened. They had kept Oleana away from the cameras, for her sanity, and she was currently living with Gloria in her flat much to the delight of the gossip tabloids.

Bede had also been hounded by many fake smiles and bright flashes, so much so that Hop had decided to install a security system at his house in Ballonlea and move in. Opal had not been too pleased, citing some strange allegory about Diglett and Beedrill (really, Hop had no idea where she got these stories from), but he didn’t care at that point. When it came to Bede, he’d put his entire research program on hold to keep him safe and happy. Not that he needed his protection since the Gym Leader was more than capable of handling nosy journalists. Galar had been exposed to a much darker side of Bede in the last few days.

Marnie had only been bothered to be asked about her thoughts on the situation, which she gave promptly and briefly. She was also often asked for her take on Gloria’s moves, likely to try and spark tension, but she always declined to comment on those questions. It was only in the last day when rumours had leaked of their engagement did she see an influx of emails in her inbox and press hanging around the entrance to her building. And as always, she ignored them and kept up her usual routine. She had snuck out of her flat before without Piers’ knowledge, and so the press did not pose much of a challenge.

Gloria blinked herself from her thoughts when she no longer heard Kabu’s droning and looked around to see another silence had befallen the group. Looker nodded at Kabu, then tugged Melony away from the commemoration, muttering lowly in her ear. She nodded sadly as they walked away. Looker made eye contact with the champion and made a phone gesture with his hand against his ear, to which Gloria nodded in response.

Milo left on his own after, his hat in his hands and his smile missing from his normally bright face. Sonia tried to get through to Leon one more time before she sighed and gave up, going back to Nessa’s side. The couple left with Professor Magnolia. Piers and Raihan exchanged a look, then the Dragon expert stepped forward cautiously and raised his hand toward Leon’s back.

“Don’t,” Leon said softly, startling Raihan. “I just want to be alone right now. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

Raihan retracted his hand and sighed. “Alright. See ya.” He backed off, his mood dampened, but he smiled slightly when Piers grabbed his hand.

“Let’s get outta here, yea?” he mumbled. “Sad as I am for the bloke, can’t help but feel my skin crawl longer we stay ‘ere.”

Raihan shook his head, laughing lowly. “Always so quick to leave social gatherings, arentcha?” He complied however and the two left on Flygon’s back. Marnie watched with a smile on her face. _Piers, finally, you dumbass._ She felt the back of her neck prickle and turned to see Bea and Allister approach her and Gloria. She pushed down her first instinct, which was to glare, and instead waited for Gloria to greet them before nodding in the siblings’ general direction.

“Hello, Gloria… Marnie.” Bea pursed her lips but did not comment further, prompting Gloria and Allister to look between the two women anxiously. The champion met the Ghost expert’s hidden eyes with desperation, but he shook his head vigorously, subtly pointing at her.

“Um!” the brunette squeaked out, voice high-pitched. “Bea, can I talk to you for a sec? I uh, I got your form. For Circhester.” She ignored Marnie’s raised eyebrow and dropped her hand to jerk her thumb a little farther away from the group. Bea crossed her arms and flexed, eyes on Marnie.

“Sure.” She turned on her heel and walked in front of Gloria to a beautiful, thick tree. Marnie watched, and though she knew she had no reason to be worried, still she felt discomfort bubble in her stomach. Allister bumped her shoulder with his own and tilted his head.

“Sis isn’t g-gonna steal G-Gloria from you, if you were w-worried…” he trailed off as her glare sharpened and swallowed nervously. “U-um, forget I said a-anything!” He relaxed when she softened her gaze and sighed.

“Sorry, I don’ mean ta get all worked up ‘bout it. It’s been years, so I should be used ta it by now, but the gossip still gets ta me.”

The masked teenager nodded. “Yea, it bothers me, too. So many p-people trying t-to g-guess what’s under my mask.” He traced a finger down the side slowly. “Though I g-guess that’s not the same as t-trying to put a w-wedge between you and Gloria.”

“Still,” Marnie muttered softly, watching Bea and her lover carefully, “they always poke their nose where it don’t belong.” She crossed her arms and looked up at Allister curiously. “Why do ya wear a mask, anyway?”

Even with his face covered, it was clear that Allister was grinning as the mask moved up slightly with his cheekbones. The Dark expert felt a shiver go down her spin as he met her eyes directly, an ominous purple illuminating the gaps in the surface. He slowly leaned down and Marnie swore she felt the air freeze between them.

“Do you really want to know?”

His lack of stutter coupled with the impending feeling of doom gave Marnie good reason to step back a full two feet and shake her head vigorously. His shoulders shook with quiet laughter and he leaned away.

On the other side of the clearing, Gloria watched as Bea’s frame marched towards their destination. She stopped when the Fighting expert swiveled on her heel and met the brunette’s eyes with a scathing glare. “Finally have time to talk to me, Champ?”

The champion slouched and pouted. “That’s not fair! You know I’ve been busy with… stuff!” She gestured vaguely in the air but quickly lowered her hand when Bea’s glare sharpened. She put her hands to her hips and frowned. “Seriously! I’ve had a lot of shit to deal with and you know that!”

The silver-haired woman relaxed her stance and smiled. “I’m just busting your balls. I know you’ve been busy. Doesn’t hurt to keep you on your toes.” She winked and the brunette shook her head and giggled.

“Alright, alright, I totally deserved that.” Gloria raised her hands in surrender and grinned. The two shared a laugh. Gloria’s grin fell to an easy smile and she ran a hand through her hair nervously. “Um… I haven’t really made it public yet, but I want you to know that uh, well… Marnie and I are engaged!” She braced herself but Bea simply chuckled and shook her head.

“You’re wearing the ring, Champ, obviously it’s not just an accessory.” The brunette blushed and shoved her hands in her pockets. Bea rolled her eyes. “I’m happy for you. You two really belong together.” She seemed entirely genuine and Gloria’s face lit up at the sincerity in her eyes.

Gloria couldn’t help the grin that stretched across her face. “Aw, thanks Bea! I really appreciate that. I want you to be at the wedding, if you can.”

Bea nodded. “Sure. And if you need help with anything, give me a call.” She straightened and her expression switched to something more serious. “Now, about Circhester…”

The brunette sighed and crossed her arms. “I read your application over. Since Melony doesn’t even want to set foot in Circhester anymore, and Gordie’s locked up, I think it would be okay for you to take over the gym. You can stick to your Fighting types of course, I wouldn’t ask you to change it up. You can also do a double battle format like Raihan, I don’t see any issues with that.”

“Thanks, Gloria.” She fidgeted, which was highly unusual, then stepped forward to bring Gloria in for a hug. “You’re a good friend and amazing Champion. You make us all proud.”

The brunette blinked several times in a row, not comprehending what was happening. Before she could react, Bea jumped back, blushing heavily. “Uh, sorry, I was just—” She was interrupted when Gloria pulled her in for another hug, squeezing her built frame tightly.

“Gah, I’m such a terrible person!” the champion wailed. “I’m so sorry! All this time I’ve been a horrible friend to you. You helped me walk again and I—I treated you like shit!”

Bea sputtered, her blush worsening and heating up her face. She tried to pull back to get a better look at Gloria but the brunette refused to budge. Finally, she planted her hands on her shoulders and forcibly peeled Gloria off her body to look her in the eyes. Tears were streaming down her face and she had a huge pout turning her lips down.

“Gloria! It’s okay, seriously! I overreacted and I shouldn’t have gotten angry with you back then. I was just—look, I was a different person then. I was jealous of Marnie and mad at you, because I thought we had something, when really you’re just a dumbass.” She smiled when Gloria giggled and squeezed her shoulders. “We’re good, alright?”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Gloria nodded and wiped her tears with her sleeve. “Okay, good.” She laughed and shook her head. “Oh Arceus, Marnie’s glaring at us right now isn’t she?” Bea glanced over Gloria’s shoulder and swallowed nervously at the terror-inducing expression on the Dark expert’s face. Allister’s tilted head only added to the creepiness factor of the situation.

“Yup!” Bea answered, popping the ‘p’ at the end. “That’s your cue to get back to your fiancée.” She rolled her eyes again at Gloria’s dreamy face. “Ugh, just go already! You’re making me sick with your lovesick face.” She pushed the brunette away from her gently and they shared a smile.

Bea watched as Gloria rejoined Marnie and intertwined their fingers. The brunette went up on her toes to press a kiss to her cheek and they went over to Bede and Hop as they spoke with Oleana. Allister sidled up to her and elbowed her lightly in her ribs. She elbowed him back a little harder, smiling at his grunt of pain.

“All g-good, sis?”

“We’re all good, Alli.”

-x-

Two pairs of footsteps echoed down a long, silent hallway. There were doors with numbered labels on the sides, each one in poor condition. Finally, the pair reached a door with the label 188. Looker looked to his companion and sighed. Melony’s eyes tightened and she pursed her lips, then nodded. Even without his heightened understanding of human body language, Looker knew she was holding back tears.

He unlocked the door and they stepped inside, the detective first followed by the former gym leader. Gordie was seated on his bed, head in his hands and his elbows atop his knees. When he heard the door open he looked up and his face paled significantly upon seeing his mother. Looker stood between the two as their eyes met, unblinking, then cleared his throat.

“Melony, I will ask him a few questions, then I will grant you a few minutes with him alone.” The blonde woman nodded and stepped outside, the door clicking shut behind her. “Gordie, are you ready to cooperate now?”

The man snorted and lowered his head again. “If you think bringing Mum here’s gonna do anything, you’re even dumber than the Champ.”

“I brought her here because she requested it, not because I thought it would make you speak,” Looker clarified, crossing his arms. “And you will cooperate… your freedom depends on it.”

Gordie shook his head. “What do you even want to know from me? Rose is dead. Giovanni is dead. I wasn’t even their top admin, and you’ve arrested those guys already.” He laughed mirthlessly, shoulders shaking. “You have no bargaining chip.”

“There are reports that you’ve attempted to recruit other gym leaders into your ranks,” Looker said, seemingly not interested in Gordie’s brief rebuttal. “Raihan, for example, has already been on record saying so.” The man leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “Who else?”

“What do I get in return?”

The detective rubbed his chin in thought. “If you give me names with credible evidence, I will convince the prosecution to aim for a shorter sentence. Instead of life, you’ll get ten years.”

“You want me to squeal for ten years?”

“Fifteen then? You did commit treason, after all.”

The blonde grit his teeth then sighed. “Ten. Fine.” He fidgeted and looked around. “I did reach out to all the gym leaders, and none of them really responded. None except for three of them.”

“And who were those three?”

“Raihan, Milo and… Bea.”

“Milo and Bea?”

“Yes. Milo wasn’t too keen on doing anything, but he did say he would attend meetings for me and report to me on everything. It’s how we found out about you.”

Looker straightened in shock. He cleared his throat again and shook his head. “Interesting. And Bea?”

“She helped us with recruiting efforts. It was her idea to get people protesting early on. She didn’t know about Giovanni and Rose, though.”

“But she was the one to come to Gloria’s rescue.”

Gordie laughed. “Yea, because she wimped out when things got more serious. Got cold feet. Still, we have a lot to thank her for.”

“I see… thank you, Gordie. This has been very… informative. You will be hearing more about the upcoming trials soon.”

Gordie rolled his eyes and leaned back. “Thanks, chief. Send in my mum and fuck off.”

Looker pursed his lips but did not rise to the bait. He turned on his heel and opened the door for Melony. The woman had been leaning her ear against the door and jolted when it opened suddenly. Looker raised an eyebrow but said nothing, stepping aside to allow her in.

“Five minutes, not one more. Thank you.” He shut the door behind him and left the mother and son inside.

Melony clenched her fists tightly and shook her head. “Gordie—how could you? I trusted you to take care of things and look at what you’ve done…”

“Shut up, Mum!” Gordie yelled, eyes shut tightly. “You don’t understand and you never will! So just go back to Snowpoint and soak up your retirement!”

“Gordie, please, you know I care for you and I love you. I just want to know—what went wrong?”

The blonde man tilted his head back. “Nothing. You were the perfect mother. Except, you know, forcing me to follow in your footsteps.”

“But—I thought you _wanted_ to be a gym leader!”

“Here we go…”

“Still, that doesn’t excuse your intent to kill Gloria!”

Gordie scoffed and turned his head. “Just leave. I’m done.”

Melony’s lips trembled as she shook. She heard a knock behind her and put a hand to her mouth in shock. “G-Gordie—you’re going to _jail_ and I—I won’t let that happen!”

The Rock expert’s eyes bulged out as he snapped his head around to look at his mother. “Wh—what do you mean?”

“Lapras! Blizzard!”

-x-

Leon stood in the Hammerlocke vault, looking up at the ancient tapestries. He wondered how long it had taken the artists to make them. He went up closer and passed a hand down, marvelling at the intricate stitch work and precision.

“Come here often?”

The former champion smiled and turned to greet his old friend. “Raihan. Hey. And no, not usually. But I’ve been thinking about everything that’s happened, seems like the perfect place to do that.”

“Yea, your bro and Gloria saved the world again. Man, those two sure are something, eh?” Raihan grinned, arms behind his head, but his face fell when Leon didn’t laugh. “Something wrong?”

“Raihan, you’re my closest friend. Or, I think you are. I’m not sure if you’ve forgiven me yet for doubting your words when you said you weren’t part of Team Cosmos.” He

crossed his arms and closed his eyes. “My head’s all messed up. I was supposed to be the strongest trainer of Galar, the hero of Galar, but I lost that title a long time ago. And even now when I promised Gloria I’d be there for back up, I failed that, too… and she cleaned up all my messes, which I’m thankful for, but it hurts.”

“Leon—”

“Please, let me finish.” Leon took a deep breath then turned back to the tapestries. “I always imagined myself to be some reincarnation of the old heroes when I first heard the story. You know that statue in the Budew Drop Inn? I’ve always wanted that to be me.

“I thought that Rose was preparing me to undertake that destiny, that it was my duty. When that turned out to be nothing but lies, I decided to help Galar in another way. Now, hearing that Rose is dead…” He shook his head, his voice trembling. “He was… he was like a father to me. He taught me everything.” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “And now, he’s gone. And I never got to say goodbye.”

He tilted his head back to keep his tears from falling. “I don’t know what my purpose is anymore. I don’t know who my friends are or who I want… Raihan, I trust you to always tell me the truth. Do you love me?” His amber eyes met Raihan’s light blue. The Dragon expert straightened his back in shock, not expecting the question.

“O-of course I love you Leon—”

“No, Raihan,” he interrupted, moving closer. “Do you _love_ me?”

“Leon, I do _love you_.” Raihan hesitated then clenched his fists. “But I have to tell you that Piers and I… there’s something between us, too.”

Leon sighed and nodded sadly. “Yea, I figured.” He grinned at his friend’s shocked expression. “Don’t look so surprised. It’s easy to see he has eyes for you, the way he straightens his back around you. We’ve all known each other for years. I’m just surprised it’s taken this long.”

“Me too.” The two men eyed each other for a long time, then rushed towards each other, lips meeting frantically. Raihan pulled at Leon’s clothes as the other man did the same with him. They were totally silent as they moved against each other, the only sound coming from them being their staggered breaths and their noises of pleasure. By the end, they both laid on their back, staring up at the glass ceiling of the vault.

Leon turned his head to look at Raihan and waited for the other man to meet his eyes. “Raihan, what does this mean?”

Raihan propped himself up on his elbow and smiled, tracing a finger down his cheek. “It can mean whatever you want it to. Piers and I have talked it over, and we’re open to anything.”

Leon clenched his jaw and turned back around. “So, I’m not good enough…”

The Dragon expert pulled his hand back in shock. “W-what? No, Leon, it’s not like that at all! You’re amazing, a-and Piers thinks so, too.”

Leon wiped angry tears from his eyes as he collected his clothes and dressed himself. “Raihan, you don’t—” He took a breath. “I can’t believe this is happening again.” He finished dressing himself then turned away from Raihan and crossed his arms. “I’m going back to the Isle of Armor. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Master Mustard… and I need to find myself.”

Raihan sighed and pulled his pants over his crotch. “For how long?”

“I don’t know.”

“Does Hop know?”

“Yes.”

“Okay,” Raihan whispered. “If it makes you happy.”

Leon lowered his hands and clenched them into fists. He left without saying another word.

-x-

Hop tugged on the collar of his shirt, freshly ironed, and paced back and forth nervously on the tiled floor. He was in the lobby of the Battle Tower, waiting to head outside for a press conference. Oleana was already there with Sonia and the others. Normally Gloria would be snapping him out of his jitters, but she was busy giving her own speech right now to hype up his entrance.

“What on Earth…” Hop looked up to see Bede marching towards him. His hair was in its usual floof and his earring still present, but he had changed into a purple pinstriped suit with a pink undershirt. His sleeves were tugged back as he stopped Hop from pacing a hole into the ground by pushing against his shoulders. The needle in his gold watch ticked in the ensuing silence.

“What is the matter with you?” Bede muttered. Hop rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.

“I’m just nervous. What if everyone hates the idea? I don’t know…”

Bede cupped his jaw and turned him back around then shook his head when their eyes met. “You have done so much for them these last few years. They will love this idea. It’s absolutely brilliant, dear.”

Hop grinned. “Thanks, love. You always know what to say to cheer me up.” He tilted his head and squinted his eyes. “Are you… are you wearing eyeliner? And mascara?”

Bede blushed and withdrew his hands. “Um, yes. Marnie has been showing me how to use them. I find it relaxing… do you not like it?” He put his hands up to his face unconsciously and Hop rushed to grab them and bring them between their bodies.

“No! I mean, yes, I like it. It’s gorgeous.” Bede blushed further and Hop laughed again. “So bashful!”

“Oi, Hopster! Let’s go!” Gloria appeared through the glass doors, demanding attention in her short red dress. “All of Galar’s waiting on you!” Hop swallowed nervously and nodded. She winked at him and put a hand to her hip. Hop’s eyes immediately went to the silver band that contrasted against the colour of her dress. “And boy did I hype you up! Crowd’s chanting your name and everything!”

“Great.” He couldn’t resist and went to her for a hug, holding on tightly. Gloria blinked in surprise then returned the hug warmly. “Thanks for being my best mate.”

“I should say the same to you!” she laughed, pulling back. “Now get out there and show ‘em what you got!”

He took a deep breath and nodded. Bede gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze then followed Gloria out the doors. Hop clapped his cheeks with his hands then pushed the doors open, squinting at the bright sunlight.

_Big bro… hope you’re proud of me, wherever you are._

The Rose Garden was outfitted with a mobile stage and hundreds of chairs situated in front. Each chair was filled, with reporters at the very front, followed by Hop’s friends and families, leading to other prominent citizens and officials from all over the world. On the stage was a podium with a small microphone. Hop swallowed nervously and moved to the stairs up to the stage, nodding at the security personnel and Looker.

Oleana stood next to the podium, a small smile on her face as she joined the crowd in clapping for him. Gloria was standing in the front row furiously slapping her hands together. Sonia and Nessa were also standing and clapping but in a more reserved fashion, while Bede and Marnie watched on quietly but with proud smiles.

He gripped the podium with trembling hands and looked down at the prepared speech Oleana wrote for him. He took a deep breath then exhaled and met the flashes of photographers and the eyes of eager onlookers.

“Hello everyone,” he started, and the crowd immediately hushed into complete silence, save for the sound of the camera shutters. “It’s so great to see you all here today. Now, more than ever, unity is important. Us being here to celebrate our advancement into a more peaceful time is a sign of good fortune, and I hope we can stay on this path for a long, long time, if not forever.

“I’m joined by my friends and family, to whom I owe a debt so enormous, I’m not sure if I’d be able to pay it back in full over the course of my life. To my parents and my grandparents, for raising me into the person I am today; to my brother, for being my sole inspiration to be a better person; to Gloria, for being my very best friend right from the start; to Sonia, for giving me a chance and letting me explore my interests in the lab; to all my friends for your constant support and love and finally, to Bede, because though we didn’t start off on friendly terms, you have become the single most important person in my life, and I can’t imagine any future where you aren’t in it.” He paused to hold back the emotion in his voice, then smiled shakily. “And I don’t think I’ll ever be able to find someone with hair as fluffy as yours!”

Bede blushed as the crowd laughed and patted his hair down. “Shut up,” he hissed when Marnie’s lips twisted up into a mocking smile.

Hop’s eyes softened and he relaxed, feeling his nerves die down. “I have you all here today for an important announcement, and to quell some rumours I’ve heard. No, we aren’t going to be launching a space programme here—Hoenn’s got all of our rocket scientists, and they’re going just great! But we are going to be doing something exciting, and we’ll be able to share this with everyone around the globe. Galar was—and still is—the number one expert in renewable energy, thanks in part to Macro Cosmos’ groundwork in battery development, as well as Professor Sonia’s work in expanding the scope of possible sources of energy.

“Which brings me to why we’re here today. Behind me is the Battle Tower, formerly known as the Rose Tower. My brother, former Champion Leon, took on the Rose Tower after the Darkest Day and transformed it into a battling hub for trainers all across Galar. After many years of success, he has decided to pass the tower onto me and has left to explore the world and learn new battling styles. He told me, and I’m paraphrasing here so bear with me: have a Champion time with the tower, little bro!” The crowd laughed again and Hop chuckled with them.

“Well, I didn’t really know what he meant by that, but I was sort of struck by a sudden revelation. What if instead of a battling hub, we became a research hub? Hoenn has all of our rocket scientists sure, but renewable energy is the only field where people of all backgrounds from all around the world can come together to solve challenging problems related to our everyday lives. Spikemuth has already seen the benefits of this, and I believe we can expand this to all of Galar as well. Oleana and I have been hard at work to commercialize my and Professor Sonia’s research. With the disappearance of Power Spots as a result of Eternatus’ departure, it’s important now more than ever to focus our efforts to go fully clean in energy production.

“So today, I announce the revival of the Rose Tower under a new Macro Cosmos. I will be its Chief Research Officer and Oleana will be its Chief Executive Officer, and together we will secure a brighter future for all of Galar!”

The crowd erupted in cheers again and he grinned widely, hand rubbing his neck nervously. He looked over to see Bede smiling proudly up at him and felt his heart stutter in his chest as it picked up pace. _I really can’t imagine a future without you by my side…_ He blew out a shaky breath then tapped the microphone again, waiting for quiet murmurs. Oleana raised an eyebrow, seeing he was going off script, then tapped her watch. He ignored her and cleared his throat.

“Sorry, I have one last thing I need to cover!” He hopped off the stage, marching up to Bede with sure and confident steps. Reporters made a path for him and security scrambled to set up a perimeter around him as he stopped in front of Bede, who looked up at him in confusion. When Hop got down to one knee, the blonde man gasped and blushed deeply. “Bede, I want to wake up to your floofy hair every day of my life! Will you marry me?” He pulled out a beautiful silver ring with an amethyst set in.

Bede pinched the bridge of his nose and stood, pulling Hop up with him. “You idiot. _I_ was going to propose to _you_!” He reached into his pocket and showed the ring in the box. Hop gasped and his eyes filled with tears.

“So is that a yes?”

Bede huffed. “ ‘Is that a yes—’ of course it is you—” Hop interrupted him with a kiss and the crowd cheered even louder in approval. Gloria’s hands hurt from how hard she was clapping and Marnie wrapped her arms around her waist from behind. She pulled her against her body, chin resting on her shoulder and smiled when the brunette leaned back.

The two men finally separated from each other when Oleana tapped the microphone impatiently. “Yes, I will be taking any questions you may have now.”

Hop laughed nervously. “Was that too much?”

Bede rolled his eyes. “No, that was quite normal for you, dear.”

-x-

“Are you gonna eat that?”

Piers rolled his eyes and pushed his plate over to Raihan, who eagerly dug in with gusto. Nessa and Sonia giggled across from them, sharing a basket of chips. They were at the Bob’s Your Uncle in Wyndon, having concluded another gym challenge season. Gloria remained undefeated for another year and left to celebrate with her new wife and best friends.

Nessa looked up at the television behind the men and raised an eyebrow. “So, Gordie and Melony still missing?”

Raihan stopped mid-chew and turned his head to look behind him. Piers sighed and shrugged. “Yea, guess they’re out somewhere no one can find ‘em.”

Sonia shook her head and sipped on her milkshake. “I never would have thought Melony would be the time to go against the grain like that. She was always so strict and uptight about everything.”

Piers’ eyes darkened. “When it comes ta family, ya do anythin’ ya can ta keep ‘em safe.”

Nessa’s eyes flicked over to Sonia briefly and she snaked her hand over to hold hers tightly. “I understand completely.” The professor looked over at her and smiled as she blushed prettily. “So… Leon’s still out there, huh?”

Raihan froze and turned back around, having finished his bite. He fidgeted in his seat and sighed. “He’s out training with old Master Mustard. I mean, after all, that is where he got so good in the first place…”

“Just seems so unlike him to have direction,” Sonia wondered, leaning back. “He’s never had a fully thought out plan before, so this is a bit of a surprise.”

“He probably won’t stay there for long,” Raihan continued, “probably just gonna train for a few more weeks then head somewhere else. Can’t imagine there’s more Master Mustard can teach him.”

“Such a drag,” Piers sighed, “dunno why he woul’ jus’ up an’ leave like tha’.”

“Why _did_ he leave, anyway?” Nessa asked, raising an eyebrow at Raihan. “You were the last person to speak with him before he left, right?”

Raihan’s dark skin reddened, but it was thankfully not noticeable. “W-well I think recent events have got him all confused and lost… not that that’s a new feeling for him.”

“Still,” Sonia pressed, eyes narrowing, “seems a little strange for him to pack up after talking to you.”

“Come off it, you two,” Piers grumbled. “Leave my boyfrien’ alone. He’s got nothin’ ta say, so back off.”

“Ugh, Piers… fine.” Nessa rolled her eyes. She checked her phone and stood up. “Let’s go, wifey. We’ve got some more press conferences to go to.”

Sonia groaned but stood up. “I can’t wait to go on my exhibition trip up north… finally able to do some research that I specialize in! Don’t get me wrong, I mean I’m all for renewable energy, but there’s just something about history and Pokemon that gets me all riled up!”

“Yes, we know you’re a nerd. Now let’s go before we’re late!” Nessa tugged her along and waved back at the two men, who replied with their own farewells.

Piers turned to Raihan with a raised eyebrow of his own. “You’re welcome.”

“Yea, thanks,” the dragon tamer mumbled, smiling shyly. His smile widened into a grin and he pulled his phone out. “C’mon Piers, take a selfie with me!”

Piers put on a small show of being annoyed, but deep down, he was as happy as he could be.

-x-

“Is tha’ everythin’?”

“I think so.”

“Ya think so?”

“Okay, okay! I _know_ so.”

“Hmm… not sure if I believe ya.”

“Marnie for the love of Arceus—” Gloria stopped when she saw Marnie hide a smile behind her hand. “Oh, you cheeky little bitch.”

“What’re ya talkin’ ‘bout?” The Spikemuth Gym Leader bit her lip as she turned around and crouched near a cardboard box. She pulled open the flaps and started to remove the contents from inside when a shadow loomed over her. She ignored it and continued with her work, but when she heard a throat clear she looked up and failed to hide her ensuing smile.

“You’re teasing me.” Gloria pouted and sat down near her lover. “C’moooooon—can’t I catch a break here! This move is killing me. I didn’t realize how much stuff we actually owned until we had to pack it all up!”

“How much stuff _you_ own,” Marnie corrected, turning back to the box and pulling out a stuffed Pikachu. “Let’s not forget the facts here.”

“Shut up,” the brunette mumbled, standing up and stretching her arms out. “Want a drink? I’m feelin’ a li’l parched.”

“Sounds good, thanks.”

Gloria went to the kitchen to retrieve two glasses and filled them with water. When she returned, she blinked as something in the box caught her eye. She passed both glasses to Marnie and bent down to pick up a worn-down journal. “Hey! This is from when I was in high school. Wow.” She flipped through it and laughed. “This sure brings me back.” She turned it around and passed it to Marnie, who looked down curiously after setting the glasses down.

Marnie thumbed through the messy scrawls and scribbles, then landed on a glued photo. “Who’s this?”

Gloria plopped down next to her fiancée and smiled as she looked over her shoulder. “That’s Hilda! My like… 3rd cousin? She’s from Unova, from Mum’s side of the family. She visited once when we were little—she’s like, three years older than me—but we haven’t been in contact for a while… hm…”

“What are ya thinkin’?”

“Maybe I could contact her again, see what she’s up to? We had so much fun when she came by, but I think Hilda got busy with stuff back home and we just never heard from her again. I’d love to see how she’s doing.”

“Ya definitely should. I think she’d be surprised to see ya as the Champion.”

“And getting married!” Gloria yelled, tackling Marnie in a hug. The raven-haired woman let out an uncharacteristic shriek as their momentum tumbled them over to the glasses of water, spilling them on the floor and on themselves. The water soaked through their clothes quickly and Gloria couldn’t help but burst out into laughter recalling a similar event from long ago.

Marnie gently laid her head back on the floor and her sigh sounded as though it carried the last her soul into the air. “We’re gettin’ married…”

The brunette lifted her head up from Marnie’s chest and raised an eyebrow. “Gee Marnie, you’re shining with enthusiasm there.”

“It’s jus’—” Marnie stopped and swallowed heavily, and Gloria gasped as she saw tears build in her eyes. “I’m really, really happy. I can’t believe it’s happenin’.” She sniffled and tried to rub her eyes with her hands but Gloria held them down and leaned their foreheads together. At this point it was hard to tell who was crying harder.

“It’s happening! Despite everything life threw at us, we made it out, together. And we’ll always have each other.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

They stayed that way for a while, soaking in their feelings. Finally, Marnie shifted and let out a giggle. “Uh, mind lettin’ me get up? Gotta change out these clothes…”

“Oh my—I’m _so_ sorry!” Gloria scrambled to get up and pulled Marnie up with her. They intertwined their hands and smiled at each other, their clothes damp but their hearts filled with warmth and joy.

**Fin**


End file.
